herarkiya
by jaceyrose18
Summary: inilukluka ka para maging hari..
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Prologue: Realisation Chapter Text

* * *

The base of the door scraped in protest against the wooden entrance as it was wrenched open. His footsteps echoed down the cold, stone corridor. Other than that, it was completely silent.

For now...

He continued his walk to the end of the corridor, where his destination was. His steps were calm, measured and assured, but his thoughts were in total disarray.

He'd been confident when he started. He'd been so certain that this was the right way to get what he wanted: to get complete submission and acceptance. He hadn't expected it to take this long but it had. It had been months since it had begun. He had wanted to stop earlier but the resistance had been high.

So damn high...

But it would be over soon. Now he'd be able to collect his prize. He'd earned it. He was sure he had.

But was this right? Is this right...?

No. It wasn't, was it? He was riddled with guilt but was at the stage where he couldn't even turn back, and forget it had ever happened. The damage had already been done; just how much remained to be seen. But whatever eventually happened, he knew that it would be entirely his fault. There would be nowhere else to place the blame. His arrogance had ruined him. He had made the final call and gone through with this stupid idea; he hadn't listened to reason or to the people who were giving him good advice. He'd only listened to himself, and to his desperation to get what he wanted: to have something that was undeniably, indisputably and willingly his.

You're completely insane. This is anything but 'willing'-

"Shut up! I know that now..."

His head was pounding from the conflicting thoughts, all of them fighting and screaming to be heard. It felt as though they were trying to claw their way out from the front of his skull and his steps faltered slightly as he clutched it in pain. But it was a small price to pay. He deserved a lot more for what he'd done.

He stopped completely, the revelation that he'd been fighting off for weeks dawning with sickening clarity.

This was depraved.

What the hell had he been thinking? Hadn't he seen how bad things were getting? That this couldn't ever be considerednormal and couldn't be justified by anything?

Why doubt yourself now? You're nearly there; one final push and it will all be yours! It's too late to change anything so it'spointless regretting this-

But I'll never be forgiven...I've cut too deep-

So?! Who cares about forgiveness when you've got what you want? You can't be opposed by anyone. Don't forget who you are!

I'm not forgetting anything ! I'm remembering a lot more than I ever have. This ends today.

Like hell it DOES-

TODAY .

He strode down the corridor with renewed vigour, almost breaking into a run. He couldn't change anything that had happened already. That was true. But he could make a start. How many times had he had to walk down this dark, dank tunnel before he realised that he was as sick and twisted as he'd been told? How many nights had to have been spent alone in his empty bed, in his gigantic room, feeling even emptier inside before he realised that this wasn't the way to go about this; that this would only make matters worse? He'd been a complete fool. No, he couldn't change what he'd already done but he could try to make things better, from today onwards.

As he drew closer to the end of the passage, he started feeling dizzy. Something wasn't right...besides this.

He reached the end and turned right, opening another protesting door. It was even darker inside.

He flicked a switch on the wall next to him, and the dusty, grey bulb cast a dim light over the room. But it was enough to see inside...

To see his prisoner.

It was too quiet. By this point, he would've heard something. Bitter curses, foul tirades or even dry, defeated sobs. At the very least, shallow breathing. But there was nothing.

Nothing but his own heavy, panicked breaths as he quickly realised something was very, very wrong.

He fumbled with his phone, turning on its torch to illuminate the cell. The light shone over the crimson liquid pooling out from underneath the unmoving body lying on the floor.

So very still.

He was a fucking fool.

Today was too late.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Their World Chapter Text

"Please accept this gift of behalf of the Stanford-Takeshi clan. We look forward to doing business with you."

Kiseki no Sedai.

The Generation of Miracles.

The rulers of the Japanese Underworld.

Whatever they were known as, their name carried weight. They were an imposing force; respected, revered and feared throughout the Underworld. In a way, they were the regulatory body for anything that went on. Their word was law. They were aware of every single proceeding that took place, and no deal could be completed, no partnership could be established without their knowledge and permission. It was just the way things worked and no one dared challenge that.

It went without saying that there were certain people, certain groups that didn't like this. They resented the immense power and the unshakeable position these young beings held in their world but they had no means to change things and they didn't have the guts to try. So they lurked in the shadows, spewing negativity but not doing anything about it. The Generations didn't care. Everyone could hate them, and it wouldn't do anything. Nothing would. No one person had the power to make the slightest difference to the way they ran things. They were an infallible force.

Or so they thought.

But even a foolish man knows that nothing on Earth is completely indestructible.

Everyone and everything has a weakness.

* * *

"What happened to the bodies?" The blonde Alpha stretched out on the sofa, letting his eyes drift shut. His gigantic, purple-haired counterpart chewed impassively before swallowing.

"Stacked them and burnt them." He and the leader of their pack had gone to investigate a drug deal gone wrong; so wrong that it had led to most of an entire clan being decimated and cremated. He wrinkled his nose.

"That sounds gross…ugh, I can almost smell it…"

"Almost…" the giant mused.

"Being the operative word. Be thankful you weren't there." Kise sat up immediately, back straightening at the sound of his leader's –their leader's- deep yet soft voice.

"Welcome back, Akashicchi-"

"Suck up…"

"Shut up!"

"You better not be talking to me." The blonde cowered slightly and the blue-haired alpha smirked. "Thought so."

"It doesn't matter how many times I ask you two to play nicely, you never listen."

"I think it's more to do with Aomine's abrasive personality-"

"Don't you have like a cave to go die in-"

"Daiki."

"Hibernate in…for the rest of your life…" muttered under his breath. Of course, it was pointless, as everyone's hearing was sharp enough to pick up his words. But then again, that in itself was the point.

"Aomine-kun, please act accordingly. We have a guest coming. You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself."

"Or us!"

"Don't worry, Kise, you do a pretty good job of that by yourself."

"Akashicchi!" He turned to their leader with a whine and the latter fixed Aomine with a mildly unimpressed look.

"Behave. I don't want to have to tell you again."

The powerful sextet was gathered in their den, away from prying eyes and curious whispers. It was where they conducted their more important deals and communications and was so well hidden, it had become something like an urban legend. The only people who were certain it existed were the Miracles pack themselves; the rest of their family and the few privileged enough to get to see the inside.

Though not nearly as many made it out alive by the end of it.

They were an intimidating presence; a force to be reckoned with.

Akashi Seijuro.

Aomine Daiki.

Midorima Shintarou.

Kise Ryouta.

Murasakibara Atsushi.

Kuroko Tetsuya.

The six men that made up the all alpha Sigma pack: the Generation of Miracles.

Even from first appearances they were terrifying: a perfect, insane beauty that didn't seem real. Toned, muscular forms built for attack and defence. Bewitching eyes to captivate both enemies and prey.

And the more people got to know them, the scarier they became.

Even if they were hated, they were hated from a distance. Because they were respected just as much, if not more. Despite their fearsome reputation, they never overstepped their boundaries or ruled by tyranny. They just kept everything in order. It had been what Akashi's family had done for generations. And it wasn't about to end with them. If anything, their role in the underworld was growing. They were already an unmatched force in Asia and were soon to become one worldwide. Their age didn't necessarily matter. What mattered was that they had reached a level of notoriety that was impossible to take away from them. Whether people liked it or not, they were known and they were feared.

And that kept the peace.

How do they do it?

One of the most common questions people asked when regarding their seamlessly flawless unit.

What is their secret? How do they work together so well? They are all Alphas so why isn't there conflict?

Their no-so-hidden secret; the face and leader of their pack.

Akashi Seijuro.

Akashi was able to control but it went beyond mere mind control. It was like he was able to control people's very wills, and bend them to meet his own demands. It wasn't just manipulation. It was absolute control.

That knowledge alone and the horror stories that had been spread over the years were enough to stop people from trying to find out exactly what he was capable of.

That didn't make them perfect, though.

They were just as guilty of doing the things humans said made them 'deplorable'. Even more so that the average Alpha. They knew their position in society and were very comfortable with it. Because with that position came perks.

* * *

A timid knock on the door was heard before Akashi responded.

"Enter."

A Beta, with loose, flowing clothing and a veil covering the lower half of his face entered the room and bowed deeply to all of them.

"Pardon the intrusion. Baron Stanford has arrived."

"Thank you. Send him in, please."

The Beta bowed again and quickly exited the room, never once making eye-contact with any of them, as they had all been trained to do.

"Why is he coming here again?" Aomine yawned, sitting up in his chair before Akashi could get at him.

"The Takeshi clan were found to have been trespassing in our territory multiple times and trying to stake claims on some of our land. He came to appeal on their behalf, because a representative from their Japanese half might not have ended too well…"

Trespassing and trying to stake claims in other clans' territories was never a smart move, and was looked down upon by all as a sign of major disrespect. The perpetrators were likely the younger generation of the Stanford-Takeshi clan but that didn't mean they couldn't be made an example of. However, due to their size –they were one of the largest and most powerful clans in the world, not to mention they were Eurasian and thus spanned two continents- and power, a direct attack would likely cause a bloodbath, so was always better in cases like these to appeal directly to the representative pack with the highest power. And in this case, it was the Generations.

Usually an appeal involved either giving over territory, forming some sort of partnership or in rarer cases, giving a gift that was of equal or greater value than the offence committed.

"Why not kill some of them and be done with it?"

"That's what I said, but Aka-chin said it would start a war…"

"A massacre, to be precise. On both sides. It is always better to be peaceful in situations like this, Daiki. Violence really isn't the answer."

"Sarcasm…? Or…?"

"Just honesty. Now pay attention, it would appear our guest has arrived-oh?"

All of them turned towards the door that the baron had walked through, suddenly more alert.

Akashi beamed.

"Now things are getting interesting."


	3. Chapter 3

Hierarchy: Domain Anonymously_Awesome

Chapter 3: Token

Summary: a2_ao3

Notes: 1k words?! And another update a week later?! What's wrong with A2?! Life, friends. This was actually supposed to be up a few days ago, but in typical me-fashion, I underestimated just how much my university wanted to screw me over. As a result, I am already exhausted once again, from having to organise my group and crack the damn whip. So much for 'chilling after exams'. *sigh* Anyways, this is still shorter than the average chapter will be, but only by a few thousand (which is a lot, I guess, considering this is only 1k but whatever. Bite me...;) ) So, this basically sets up the story and we'll run with it from here. Thank you to all who kudosed (no commenters...snakes, the lot of you), I really appreciate it! I'm too tired to write notes, and I'm sleep deprived so I'm sorry if there are typos! I've just finished typing this and I'm didn't get enough sleep (thank some of my 'team'...boy am I going to be roasting them TODAY) so I'm not working too well. But I think I got most of 'em! I'll proof read tomorrow...(she said). Enjoy the chapter! OOPS! Brief has been updated! I decided to put a ~ with the newest updates, to help you guys find 'em (I'm so nice, right? hahaha!)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The large, covered box was carried into their den on the shoulders of four betas, followed by the man himself, Baron Stanford.

"Stanford-san, it is an honour to have you here with us. Thank you for coming." The older gentlemen smiled affably, bowing slightly.

"Thank you for inviting me. I am glad I have the opportunity to appeal on behalf of our clan. As I am sure you are aware, the actions of those individuals are not reflective of the sentiments of our whole clan. They were a bunch of pups, really…unruly adolescents and have since been punished, as have their mothers."

It was a common practice to punish the mothers of rule breakers as well as the wolves themselves as they were seen to be the cause of the bad genes being passed on. The Omega unfortunate enough to have three pups in the group was currently lying in critical condition at one of Japan's top hospitals following the severe beating she'd received on behalf of her offspring.

"And your final plea?"

"I ask that you will not act rashly and make an example of them, as it was merely inno-"

"Firstly, Stanford-san, I can assure you that none of my actions can be considered 'rash'. I view that word as quite insulting, in this context." The older man paled noticeably. "And secondly, innocently or not, they overstepped their boundaries quite literally and now my concern is: how do I know they won't try and invade our territory again? For fun of course."

He recovered quickly from his fear and did a sterling job of masking any emotions that would impair his persuasive abilities, clearing his throat.

"I can assure you Akashi-san, their actions will not be repeated. I am willing to stake my position as the head of the European side of the Stanford-Takeshi clan. It has been a position has been passed down for generations from my ancestors and predecessors to me. I fully understand the gravity of the situation and that is why I will personally take responsibility if anything of the sort happens again."

Akashi appeared to be considering this and Aomine rolled his eyes with a snort, earning him a sharp stare from the redhead.

It was all pretence. Akashi was very cunning, and had in no way planned to reject his apology as he knew that it was better to have their clan onside and preferably indebted to him than to have them lying, dismembered, on a bloody battlefield. He didn't want to sacrifice the lives of his own clan for something unnecessary so he wouldn't. But drawing the conversation out would make Baron Stanford think he had dodged a bullet. This would not only make him feel like a bit of a hero for successfully negotiating his corner, but would also making him enforce the rule better to ensure no one breached their territory from his clan again.

It was a psychological battle, and Akashi had won before it had even begun.

"I see. Well, I can feel your sincerity, Stanford-san, and I sympathise with your plight. Thus, in this particular instance, I am willing to turn a blind-eye to the situation. However, this is only on the understanding that this won't occur again."

"You have my word, Akashi-san." The grey-haired gentleman bowed deeply, relieved that he'd been forgiven but completely oblivious to the fact that there hadn't been any threat at all in this circumstance.

"And I shall hold you to it. And please, Akashi is perfectly fine."

"Absolutely. I would expect nothing less." He moved to stand closer beside the covered object, a hand on the sheet draped over it. "We are all sorry that this event has hindered our business relationship and we hope that things can return to how they once were, so this is both a token of apology and gratitude." He straightened up, fixing his eyes on Akashi. "Please accept this gift of behalf of the Stanford-Takeshi clan. We look forward to doing further business with you."

"As do we, as I'm sure the rest of us will agree." There were nods from Kuroko, Midorima and Kise but the latter, as with Aomine and Murasakibara, had their eyes trained on the 'box'.

"Once again, I'm honoured." He bowed slightly before suddenly whipping the sheet off, to reveal what they had been hoping was underneath.

* * *

The 'box' was a large, metal cage made up of thick, titanium bars that had been position close together, leaving a narrow space between each one. They were all familiar with the layout and knew immediately that it was a pheromone cage, though it seemed to be significantly more durable than the standard.

But the cage wasn't what they cared about.

"He seems to be a rogue; but he has not been responsive to most of our questioning."

"That's unsurprising." Akashi murmured, eyes fixed on the cage's prone inhabitant. "You seem to have drugged him quite heavily." Baron Stanford shook his head.

"For some reason, he is very resistant to the effects of any kind of drug. We had given him ten times the recommended dose-"

"Was that wise?" Kuroko interjected immediately. That didn't sound good, half of that was more than enough to kill most Psi Alphas.

"Fear not, Kuroko-san-"

"As Akashi-kun said, just Kuroko is fine." He gave Baron Stanford a small smile that he gratefully returned. Kuroko had been well known to be the kindest member of their pack and he was proving it now.

"Feat not, Kuroko, this was just to be able to bring him here. He will likely be awake in the next few minutes."

"Minutes?" Kise eyebrows shot up. "Are you sure?" He nodded confidently.

"As I previously stated, it has us baffled, but we suppose it may have been a trait of his clan, though we can't distinguish where exactly he hails from or what his ancestry is."

Akashi's smile was a strange one and his look was unreadable for the most part. But his posture was obvious.

The slight lean forward. His steepled fingers. The brightness of his eyes.

He was very interested.

"I'll admit, you are the first person to bring us an alpha as a token of apology-"

"If I may interject?"

"Please."

"He is not an alpha."

The man in the cage stirred, raising his head groggily. A pair of unfocused, brilliant red eyes opened, slowly scanning the room before drifting shut again as he collapsed weakly on the metal floor of the cage.

Akashi's smile widened.


	4. Chapter 4

Hierarchy: Domain Anonymously_Awesome

Chapter 4: Initiation

Summary: Trigger Warnings: Offensive Language  
Explicit Sexual Content  
Non-Con  
Dark Themes a2_ao3

Notes: The rating has gone up. For a reason. Don't like, don't read. Now that THAT'S done... SORRY I'm LATE! I knowww I said that I'd be posting weekly but when I tell you uni was ROUGH...like...last week was hell. I actually can't. I'm so relieved it's over. And then I had to pack my messy ass room into a couple of bags because I'm moving back home in a few days. And I had a 13 hour shift at work...Guys. It was hard. But from here on out, weekly chapters! So YAY! There's more for me to say but I won't say it. Cba for spell check, if there are some really annoying typos, let me know. The brief has been updated so check it out, if need be. Otherwise, enjoy the chapter!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

* * *

"Unlock the cage." The baron hesitated, looking uncertainly from an intense Akashi to the cage with the sluggish redhead.

"I do not know if that is the best idea…I would not want to compromise your safety-"

"Rest assured Baron Stanford, we can definitely handle ourselves here…can't we gentlemen?"

"Indeed, Akashi." Midorima affirmed, failing to fully disguise his own cool interest in the cage's inhabitant. Murasakibara nodded slowly, eyes still locked on the new redhead and the rest didn't even bother to respond.

"If the situation bothers you, Baron Stanford…actually…" Akashi seemed contemplative which, in the eyes of those that knew him well, meant that he'd long since made up his mind.

"I don't believe your presence is necessary anymore. Provided you abide by our agreement, I doubt I will need to see you here again. Many thanks for your gift. We will be sure to enjoy it." He motioned slightly and two Betas materialised on either side of the baron.

"Ah! Yes, quite. Well, thank you for listening to my case. I assure you we will uphold our end of the agreement." Akashi smiled, saying nothing further. The baron's eyes lingered on the captive before he gulped, then bowed and allowed himself to be escorted from the room.

He finally breathed a huge sigh of relief once he was safely in his limousine and far away from their den. He was amazed he'd made it out unscathed because from what he had heard about the casual brutality that the Miracles were associated with, the odds hadn't been in his favour.

He almost felt sorry for the young wolf he'd left behind, at their mercy.

Almost.

Ultimately, he was an alpha, and a high ranking one at that. As pedigree as his gift was, he would always be seen as lower so it was beneath him to show the redhead any concern. It was his rotten luck for being born as he was.

And he got the feeling that after being left alone with them, he would be wishing he hadn't been born at all.

Still, my son will be furious when he finds out I gave him away. He had his sights set on him as soon as we found him. But it couldn't be helped. Wolves such as that are an extremely rare find, and we needed to save our clan.

* * *

"He doesn't look like one." Aomine grunted, poking his fingers through the bars. The redhead was very still but whether he was out cold again, or just ignoring them completely was anyone's guess.

"He's pretty…" Murasakibara murmured, crunching down on his sixteenth lollipop that day.

The redhead twitched imperceptibly but Aomine still caught it, his mouth splitting into a toothy smirk.

"Gotcha." He unlocked the cage with deft fingers and tugged the door open, before freezing and sniffing the air. His smirk turned into a grin, scarier than before. "I was…wrong…definitely an omega. Out." He turned and walked back to his chair, fully expecting the redhead to have complied.

Yet again, he was wrong.

"Did you not hear me? I said, get out." The threat was there and it hit home as the sharper eyes amongst them saw the hairs on the back of the omega's neck stand on end. But he still refused to move.

"This bitch-"

"Aomine-kun, I doubt threats and curses will get you what you want today. Why don't you let me handle it?" Aomine tutted and leaned back in his chair, resting his head on his hand and watching the pale man move towards the cage.

"Excuse me?" he stared softly. "I'm not going to force you out, but I think it would be easier to communicate if you perhaps looked up. We wanted to find out more about you as Baron Stanford was unable to provide us with much information about your background."

There was still no response and Aomine wasted no time gloating.

"See? The deaf bitch won't listen. He's fucking defective. Send him bac-"

"Aominecchi! Y-"

"Take that back, bastard." Even Murasakibara looked surprised-albeit mildly- by the deep growl from inside the cage. Aomine looked equally shocked and enraged, not quite sure how to respond to the novel situation. Kise barked out a laugh.

"I was not expecting that! He's feisty!"

"Indeed." Kuroko said, hiding his small smile. "So I take it you can talk then? I assumed as much. Would you be willing to talk to us for a while?"

It took a while, but the redhead finally eased himself up into a sitting position, swaying slightly and causing Kuroko to reach out a hand to steady him. Instantly alert, he recoiled further into the cage, eyes filled with suspicion and distrust.

"What about?" Kuroko didn't take offence, moving back slightly too, to make him feel less threatened.

"Just your origins…are you actually a rogue?" The redhead was silent for a minute before responding.

"And if I said I was?"

"I would say it was unexpected but think nothing more of it." He regarded Kuroko silently, his ruby eyes openly displaying his scepticism.

"I don't blame you for being doubtful but I promise, there's nothing more to it." Eventually the redhead sighed.

"So? What else do you want to know?"

Akashi watched the whole exchange with growing intrigue. This was certainly a different approach to how they usually treated their…visitors…but something about the redhead told him that this direction was necessary…warranted.

"Well…" Kuroko smiled gently, pleased that the omega had started to respond to him. He himself didn't know why he had decided to take this route but looking into the burning, red eyes in front of him…his instincts told him it was worthwhile. He seemed to have backbone and the fact that he was actually a rogue did make Kuroko feel slightly sorry for him. Something about the prone redhead in the cage being harassed by Aomine earlier had bothered him, and he had wanted to try and remedy the situation. So he was happy that he'd finally gotten him to cooperate. Well…there was slightly more to it than that.

"What is your name?" The redhead closed his eyes briefly and murmured something. "What was that?"

"Kagami…it's Kagami."

"Just Kagami?" he asked, playing with the name on his tongue.

"For now…yeah."

"Kagami-kun, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Kagami-kun…

The other reason for Kuroko's new-found happiness was that Kagami was attractive.

Very much so.

And he smelled divine.

A part of him wanted to close the cage completely, because the scent was becoming a distraction. He was having a hard enough time keeping his eyes on Kagami's face and not letting them stray lower to the expanse of smooth, tanned skin that was on display in his loose, short, white tunic. He was secretly thankful that Baron Stanford had thought to dress him up, however revealingly. It was more than could be said for the majority of their other tokens and gifts, who arrived completely naked.

"Kagami-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"May I ask how old you are?"

"Nineteen."

"He's our age!" Kise interjected with pleased surprise. "Perfect!"

"What's perfect about it?" Kagami asked, eyes now on the gorgeous blonde, who was delighted with the attention.

"I like it when my omegas are closer to my age-"

"Your omegas…?" Kagami repeated the words slowly, paling under his caramel skin.

Aomine was feeling bitter about Kagami's refusal to follow his orders but seemingly warming up to Kuroko so he jumped at the chance to grind in the sickening reality of why Kagami was there.

"Why the fuck else did you think you were here? In a cage, wearing fucking nothing? You're dumber than you look." Kagami tugged down on the hem of his tunic, growling in warning and recoiling further into the cage again. Kuroko lightly tapped at the door, causing it to swing shut and thankfully, everyone else's attention was otherwise diverted. Kagami shot him a grateful look.

"Aomine-kun, I think there's a better way-"

"To what? Let him know his purpose? Like fuck there is. He's an omega. It's what they're built for. He's nineteen. Look at him. He's clearly had experience. There's no need to act all uppity. A bitch like you must have taken plenty of cock. But since I'm feeling nice today…" He smiled vindictively, getting up and walking over to the cage, before crouching down and levelling Kagami with a dark stare.

"And because you're such a dumbass, I'll spell it out for you. No need to thank me." His smile was brittle and Kagami felt the bile rise in his throat.

"Stay away from me…" he hissed.

"Don't think so. Have you forgotten who you are? Where you are?" He gestured proudly around him. "You're in another packsden. An all-Sigma, all-alpha pack. You're an omega. You don't get a fucking say in what happens to you, okay sweetheart-" Kagami spat at him.

"Fuck OFF!"

Aomine let the saliva drip down his face, closing his eyes slowly as he processed what had just happened.

"Daiki, please take a step back and calm yourself-"

"Don't worry…" His voice was soft and he wiped the spit off his face. "I'm calm."

He opened his eyes, locking them on Kagami with a look that terrified him.

"Move out of the way, Tetsu."

"Aomine-kun, don't be too violent-" Aomine laughed loudly.

"Me? Violent? Of course not! It's just that it looks like our little rogue here hasn't seen too much loving in his lifetime. I'd be more than happy to show him. Move, Tetsu."

Kuroko shifted reluctantly and Aomine pulled the door open once more.

"Get out here, or I'll make you get out. And you probably won't like that as much." Kagami didn't move.

"I'm surprised I'm giving you a fucking choice. Don't take my kindness for granted."

"Aomine-kun-"

"Tetsu, I'm handling it! Go sit down or something. You'll get your turn." Kuroko said nothing and went back to his seat, sharing a look with Akashi.

"Get out."

Kagami's heart was racing. There was too much going on for him to take in. There had been for the past week. Since he'd been abducted, he'd been thrown into a completely different world to the one he was used to.

He'd heard of omegas being captured and sold off in the black market but he'd never stopped to think that it could happen to him. Why would he? It wasn't exactly commonplace.

But when he'd woken up in a cold, hard cage, surrounded by people he didn't know, wolves he didn't know…he realised that things could change in an instant. And they had for him.

This man.

The dark-skinned, sapphire-eyed, dangerously beautiful man telling him to get out of the one place he felt remotely safe in this unfamiliar environment.

He was deadly.

And as brash and hard-headed as Kagami knew he was, he knew he had to be careful.

"Come. Here. Now." Swallowing his revulsion, Kagami crept forward until he was within arms' reach of the man at the cage entrance.

A hand shot out and latched itself into his thick, messy, red hair, tugging him out into the centre of the room with it and throwing him down.

"There we go. Wasn't too hard, was it?" Kagami stayed silent, feeling the burn of humiliation as he felt all their eyes on him. Looking down on him. Analysing him. Belittling him.

Aomine walked back to his chair and sat down, spreading his legs slightly.

"Kagami," he called, clicking his fingers and whistling. "Come."

He's sick.

He could kill me.

There was clearly something wrong with Aomine. Every move the man made was dangerous. And he clearly had it in for Kagami due to the way he'd acted earlier. He felt pinching regret for acting recklessly but that was completely overpowered by the utter humiliation and abject fear he felt as he lay in the middle of the room.

"I won't tell you twice. Don't push me." Keeping his head bowed, he crawled slowly to where the other man sat, coming to a stop between his spread legs. Aomine patted his thigh.

"Come up."

There were eyebrows raised at this. No one understood Aomine's angle, especially considering he'd been as angry as he had before.

Well, Akashi had an inkling.

Oh dear.

* * *

"So gentlemen, I'd like to direct your attention back to business. We do still have an agenda for this meeting." Everyone but Aomine and Kagami tuned into Akashi, leaving the duo alone.

Aomine again threaded a hand into the back of Kagami's soft hair, but this time it was gentle. Deceptively so.

"Are you clean?" he murmured into his ear, a hand skating up and down the smooth plains of Kagami's toned thigh. He nodded as much as he could with the hand in his hair.

"Virgin?" He blushed heavily, and nodded again, then jumped as he felt a slick, wet muscle on the back of his neck.

"I like it when you do that. The giant was right…you're pretty cute…"

Kagami felt sick. He couldn't understand how Aomine's mind worked. One minute he was hurling expletives at him and the next he was calling him cute. The fact that he couldn't follow his line of thought made being this close to him even scarier.

"So where are you from Kagami?" He couldn't believe Aomine did all that just to continue the conversation he'd been having with Kuroko earlier. Though he'd just met the bluenette, it seemed out of character.

He was right.

It was.

"I'm from-AH-"

"Shhhh!"

He gaped in silent horror as a finger breached him.

He had no preparation. No warning.

And Aomine didn't care in the slightest.

"You were saying?" he breathed with a smirk as he worked his finger deeper into Kagami's hidden heat. Kagami scrunched his eyes shut, overwhelmed with emotions but unable to voice any of them.

His body responded to the action out of its own accord as Kagami's brain had shut down, producing a small amount of slick to make Aomine's passage easier. The bluenette hummed, impressed.

"I didn't know you could do that…impressive. You'll be good for our pack…oh and you didn't answer my question. In case you couldn't tell, I don't like repeating myself."

Kagami forced himself to speak, his fear of Aomine prevailing.

"A-A-America..."

"Hmm? But your name's Japanese..."

"I've never been here." Aomine shrugged, twisting his finger even deeper, stroking Kagami's walls.

"Fair enough…America, huh? And you're sure you're a virgin?"

Kagami squeezed his eyes shut tighter and nodded, fighting the building feeling of helplessness. But they shot open with a gasp as Aomine did something that had him curling his extended claws into the chair arms. He heard a dark chuckle behind him and realised something with crystal clarity.

He hated Aomine.

"Ooooh, responsive! You like that?" He rubbed his prostrate harder and Kagami closed his eyes again, his arms shaking slightly.

He hated being an omega.

He always had, and this just proved that his hate had been justified.

His body was betraying him.

It was starting to submit to the alpha behind him. To pleasure.

It sickened him to the very core.

* * *

"S-Stop…please…"

"You beg, too? They're going to love you…" But he slid his finger all the way out, instead lightly circling his twitching hole. Kagami took what he could get, but didn't dare let relief overtake him. Aomine wasn't to be trusted.

"Do you like me, Kagami?"

Like a mind-reader.

"Fuck no!" he bit out before he could stop himself, but he'd stand by it. Aomine laughed again, and Kagami felt the rumble of his laughter through the thin silk of his tunic.

"Still so fiery! You will, eventually. I'm actually one of the nice ones."

"I fucking doubt it." Aomine seemed to consider his words.

"Maybe you're right to…" And yet again, he entered him. This time with two more fingers.

Kagami whined in discomfort as the three fingers pushed into him. His body did what it could but there was no way it could take away all the pain of the attack.

"What's this, Kagami?" he asked playfully, nipping at his white collar. He had a matching band on his left wrist. The redhead didn't respond, trying to detach himself mentally from the situation as the thick, long fingers probed deeper.

"Kagami…" he sang, locating his prostrate once again and getting straight to work. Kagami squeezed his legs shut, trying to ignore the fact that his body was starting to enjoy Aomine's assault.

I'm as sick as he is.

"S-Scent. Block…" He couldn't speak properly anymore, pulling down his tunic to disguise his burgeoning erection.

"Now that you mention it…Your scent is really faint. Your tight ass distracted me." He pumped into him again, to emphasise his point and Kagami let out a broken whine, against his will.

Akashi had worked out quickly what Aomine was doing and kept one ear on their conversation and the other the meeting. He started to feel like he should intervene when he heard Kagami's whine and realised he should have acted sooner.

"Aw, look! You got everyone's attention now. So loud. Did you want an audience? Want me to show them how tight you are?" Kagami laid a desperate, restraining hand on Aomine's thigh and he laughed.

"God, you're cute! Fine, I won't. Only because you asked so nicely." His fingers were driving Kagami mad and the feeling of them repeatedly hitting his prostrate made him want to scream. He didn't dare open his eyes. He didn't want to see them. He knew, he could feel them staring.

* * *

The only sounds in the room were the occasional rumble of Aomine whispering something obscene into Kagami's ear, the redhead's panting, and the slight squelch as Aomine fingered him.

Kagami felt the sting of tears and was horrified. He had forgotten what it felt like to cry and wasn't willing to remember. Not today. Not ever.

"Who would like to fuck first? Me? Your beloved Kuroko?" He shoved his fingers even deeper and Kagami gasped. "What, you thought he was different? You must be blind as well as deaf, because he wanted to eat you alive…I haven't seen him look that hungry in ages. Or what about Kise? The blondie? You like pretty boys?" He fucked Kagami diligently with his fingers, knowing just how to play with him to keep him travelling closer to his orgasm then bringing him back. Kagami was tight, hot and moist. Aomine regretted not going in straight with his dick but it was clear that Kagami was in fact a virgin. He had doubted it slightly, even though he knew the baron would never bring anything but. But the way Kagami acted around him screamed virgin and his reactions to being pleasured confirmed it.

Something about that knowledge made Aomine feel possessive. He didn't really want to share him with the rest of the pack. Even though he could feel the hatred coming off him in waves, he wanted to keep him for himself.

Add him to my personal collection.

His hand started to ache as he thrust in harder and he withdrew suddenly. Kagami panted loudly, gripping the arms of the chair like a lifeline.

"Bend over here. Don't worry, I promised I wouldn't show them, didn't I?" Kagami refused to move so Aomine lifted him easily, tugging him into position so that he was bent over one arm of the chair and Aomine's knees. The bluenette pulled his tunic up to expose his ass, and slapped it hard. The redhead cried out in pain.

"You have a great ass. Spread." Again Kagami didn't respond, his brain having well and truly shut down. Aomine did it for him then slid his fingers back in, this time watching as they ploughed his virgin hole.

The rest of them watched silently as Kagami was assaulted, all incredibly aroused. The redhead battled the sting in his eyes and the lump in his throat, sobbing helplessly as Aomine found his prostrate the third time and abused it. His cock felt heavy and he was scared he would cum.

"P-Please, s-s-stop-NGGGHHAAAH!" Aomine stopped pumping, instead targeting his prostrate and rubbing into it insistently. The pleasure was overwhelming and the shame was scalding. Kagami bucked, and Aomine bit his side.

"Hmmm…maybe…"

"P-PLEASE!"

"Please…who?"

"PLEASE AOMINE-AAHHOOHHGOD!"

"One more time?"

"AOM-AAAHHHHH!"

His body couldn't take it. He'd reached the end and Aomine knew it, rubbing his prostrate once more as his asshole spasmed wildly and he came, shooting his load onto Aomine's lap and shredding the leather of the chair into ribbons. Aomine went back to pumping, his fingers brushing against Kagami's oversensitive prostrate and the redhead screamed, trying to stop him. Aomine pinned him to the arm of the chair, working his fingers faster as Kagami's eyes rolled back and he cried again before more liquid squirted from his cock, thinner and paler than before.

His scent filled the room and hit all of them. Eyes narrowed, fangs extended and the air became dangerous. Muraskibara and Kise shifted restlessly in their seats, both wanting to have their fill of Kagami and willing to cut through Aomine to do it.

"Daiki, I think you should remove him. It isn't safe here."

The bluenette swallowed thickly, pushing down the carnal desire to claim the omega in his lap. Thankfully, his possessiveness was the dominant emotion and he nodded, picking the limp body up and carrying him out of the room.


	5. Chapter 5

Hierarchy: Domain Anonymously_Awesome

Chapter 5: Welcome Home

Summary: Trigger Warnings: Strong language  
Abuse/Mild violence  
Dark Themes (throughout the story tbh) a2_ao3

Notes: Good morning friends! I promised a chapter a week and I'm planning on sticking to it! However tough that might be... First and foremost, to the commenters from the previous chapter, sincerest apologies for not having responded yet. My week was so busy and I couldn't find the time to reply to all of you at once. Plus I've been lacking in motivation as it's getting so darn HOT and I tend to get pretty sick in the heat so I'm lying low. Howeverrrrr... The reception for this story has been pretty fab thus far! Happy A_A!  
Not going to lie, I was debating putting it on hold before the previous chapter went out as I worried that I wouldn't be able to juggle both stories and there wasn't enough interest in it for me to pursue it as actively for the time being. But you guys changed my mind! Yes, you the commenters and kudosers and bookmarkers and subscribers. I will be continuing this for the forseeable future, so thank yourselves for the love you've shown my newest baby. And the comments were so wonderful I can't! So to you guys especially, so much love. So for those who commented before, expect a response from today onwards as my life is now considerably less busy. Other than the trek to the gym (suffering, all those STAIRS) and having to play maid at home (but without the cute uniform) I'm free as a bird. My apologies for this slightly late update. It was going up yesterday but the heat had me melting into a puddle of goo, I couldn't function well enough to edit it. There's probably more to say, but I won't say it.  
Brief has been updated, please check it out.  
Yup, that's it from me! Enjoy ^_^

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

* * *

His scent…

Aomine's eyes rested on the unconscious redhead lying opposite him in the limousine as it cruised towards his house. He could feel his fangs starting to elongate, desperate to claim.

He'd never smelt anything like it. It was sweet, spicy, hot, it invaded his senses and totally captured him. He'd found the redhead appealing from the get-go, but he'd been put off by his attitude. Or rather, the fact that his attitude was directed to him alone.

But when it was Tetsu…all fucking smiles…

But eventually, his physical appeal had grown too strong and when he'd had him writhing and pleading with him to stop in his lap; when he'd felt his hot walls clenching down on his fingers; when he'd smelt that scent.

He wanted him.

And he would have him.

Kagami might be more resistant than other omegas initially but it was all part of the game. If anything, it would make getting to the end goal more satisfying. He hadn't had to chase anyone for a while so he was out of practice. But Kagami…Kagami wouldn't be easy, and he liked that. As much as the blatant rejection angered him, it made him want to work harder to make the redhead finally submit.

Fuck, he's gorgeous…

Kagami stirred, slowly opening his eyes to take in his surroundings. They alighted on Aomine and were quickly flooded with disgust and fear.

"Well, hello to you too!-"

"Piss off!" he spat, shrinking away from him.

"Really, that's no way to treat your host, now is it?"

"H-Host?"

"That's right, sweetheart. I was kind enough to open my doors to you, a poor, rogue omega, so you'll be staying with me."

Kagami turned to look out of the window, seemingly defeated. But Aomine was shrewder than he looked and saw the redhead scanning the surrounding area. He barked a laugh, making Kagami jump.

"I wouldn't try running away if I were you. Not only do I live in the middle of nowhere, but you'll be caught before you can make it five feet. And I won't be too happy if I find out you've pulled a disappearing act…"

The memories of his earlier humiliation were unsurprisingly fresh and he didn't want to think of what Aomine would and could do if they were stuck alone together. The man was clearly a tyrant with a very loose set of morals. A dangerous combination.

He forced himself not to lower his head at the silent order in his gruff voice, instead shooting him a filthy look then fixing his stare on the foliage shooting by the tinted windows.

Aomine admired the svelte line of his tanned neck, running his tongue over his pointed teeth at the thought of marking it. Kagami caught the motion out of the corner of his eye and clutched the seat tight, a shiver running over his skin.

He needed to get away.

* * *

"And here we are. Home sweet home!"

Kagami refused to move from where he lay. He knew his stubbornness would provoke Aomine but at this point, he didn't care. His mind and body were still trying to come to terms with what had just happened and as a result, he wasn't as sharp as he normally was. And his sense of self-preservation wasn't as strong as it had been before the attack had happened.

But his self-hatred was stronger than it had ever been.

Along with his new hatred for the man gazing down at him, like an owner like a new ornament. Ready to take him into his home and place him somewhere everyone could see.

His newest trophy.

Kagami breathed deeply through his nose, to ward of the wave of sickness and keep it at bay.

He despised everything about his position, everything about being an omega and everything about Aomine.

"Honestly, I think I need to take you to see a doctor. Your hearing sucks-"

"So does your fucking attitude!" Aomine grinned evilly.

"Ah, there we go. All you needed was a push. Now, are you going to get out of the car by yourself or do I have to help you?"

"Don't you dare touch me."

"Too late!" Aomine laughed, waggling his fingers suggestively.

Kagami saw red.

Before he knew what was happening, he had lunged at Aomine in his rage, claws and teeth extended and ready to slice through his oppressor. At that point, he was already too far gone to consider the cold, hard facts of the situation he was in.

Fortunately, Aomine was kind enough to remind him.

His eyes widened in shock as he registered the large hand around his throat that he was certain hadn't been there less than a second ago. But that was the last coherent thought he had for a while, before the grip tightened incredibly, crushing his windpipe.

"You know, you're actually starting to annoy me a bit. I'm being nice to you because Akashi will be pissed as fuck if I kill you outright. But don't push me too far…" he breathed, lowering his head to the redhead's ear before snarling, "or I'll rip your fucking head off."

Kagami clawed at his hand as the grip tightened even further and Aomine breathed a sigh of relief.

"God, I'm glad I got that off my chest! You need to remember exactly who you are...what you are: an o-me-ga." Each syllable was emphasised, filled with mockery and disdain. "Granted, you're pretty big but there's no way in hell you'll ever be able to take an alpha. You probably couldn't even take Tetsu in a one-on-one so don't get fucking brave and try it with me."

Kagami's vision blurred and he felt his consciousness slipping for the third time that day. The hands scratching at Aomine's had weakened, but his grip had not.

"You're cute and your ass is tight. I'll give you that. But I've seen better. I've fucked better. Don't think I'll put up with your shit. I'll say this one more time just so you don't forget it."

Kagami started to see black and as everything faded into darkness, Aomine's final words drifted into his ears, swirling around in the gloom of his now unconscious mind.

"Know your damn place."

* * *

He awoke to a grand but sparsely-decorated room. All it seemed to have was a chair, table, a modest chest of drawers and a queen-sized bed, that he was currently lying on. There were handcuffs on the top bedposts but he hadn't been chained up for some reason.

He lay on the bed, trying to gather his thoughts as he stared up at the cream expanse of the ceiling. A hand drifted up and confirmed the formation of the bruises along his neck. They were a reminder. Though he didn't think he needed one.

He wouldn't forget this day as long as he lived.

The doorknob turned and he shot up immediately, backing against the headboard and looking around for something to defend himself.

It wasn't necessary, as a timid-looking person entered the room dressed in a dowdy maid's uniform and holding folded clothing.

Wolf…Beta…

The beta approached his bed with a bow.

"Aomine-sama requests your presence in an hour. He suggests that you shower and dress beforehand."

Kagami watched her silently. She didn't appear fazed at all by his appearance or by the fact that he was even there. Clearly Aomine wasn't lying. He treated omegas like this on a daily basis. Kagami shuddered with revulsion.

"Where do I shower?" The maid gestured politely to the second door in the room, that he had completely missed.

I didn't notice a huge-ass door? He's really fucked me up.

"The bathroom is fully stocked, but if you require anything else, don't hesitate to let me know."

"How will-"

"Just pull on this and I will be at your service." She motioned to the thick, braided rope hanging near the door, yet another thing that Kagami had missed during his previous inspection.

"R-Right…thanks…" He smiled weakly but the beta avoided eye-contact, bowing deeply before disappearing from the room.

Kagami stared at the small, neatly-folded bundle, not wanting to deal with it just yet. Knowing what he did of Aomine, there likely wouldn't be a lot to it.

Instead he got up with a wince, the unfamiliar ache from his hole coming back to haunt him. He ignored it as best he could, making his way to the bathroom the maid had indicated. It was fully stocked, as she'd said and he took the opportunity to examine himself in the mirror.

A handsome face stared back at him, with eyes burning bright. Eyes that looked eons away from giving up hope.

If he wants to break me, he's going to have to do a lot worse.

He extended a fist to his reflection before shedding what was left of his clothing and trying to wash the remnants of his earlier humiliation away.

* * *

Aomine whistled as Kagami walked into the room, burning into him with his cold, sapphire stare.

"Well, you clean up nice! And you've still got a bit of time left." He beckoned him over but Kagami didn't respond. "Not thisagain. Look, I'm not going to fuck you or anything like that." Yet. Kagami met his eyes, staring him down suspiciously before making his way towards him. His primary goal was to keep Aomine from losing his temper as it surely wouldn't bode well for him if he did.

"What is it?" he asked flatly when he was less than a metre away.

"These." Aomine hooked a finger through the space between his neck and the scent-blocking collar and pointed at the one on his wrist. "Get rid of them."

"No!" Kagami moved back out of range, clutching them protectively. "That's not a good idea…"

"What would you know about good ideas, idiot?"

"A whole lot more than you!" Kagami spat. Aomine barked a laugh.

"Touche. But take them off. They look tacky. They're ruining your outfit-"

"What's there to ruin?!"

As expected, Aomine hadn't given him a lot to work with and he was now donned in a flimsy, backless, blue silk robe that draped past his feet yet did a pitiful job of covering him. And Aomine's hungry gaze made him painfully aware of just how much was on show.

"Enough. Take them off."

"NO."

"OFF."

"NO."

"Listen here-"

"Daiki. I'm glad there have been no mishaps since I last saw the pair of you." Akashi's burgundy eyes flitted to the purplish bruises on Kagami's neck but he didn't comment on it. Kagami fought the urge to roll his eyes, disgusted by the unspoken 'alpha protocol'.

Figures.

"Why'd you always expect the worst when I'm involved?" Aomine sighed, throwing himself back in the chair and dragging a shell-shocked Kagami with him.

"Because, the worst seems to occur whenever you're involved."

"Whatever. So? What'd I miss?" Akashi began to fill Aomine in as the bluenette ran an errant hand through Kagami's thick hair, like he was an unruly pet.

Kagami was hyper-aware of all the physical contact going on between him and Aomine. His bare back against Aomine's uncovered chest. The hand in his hair. And most importantly, the terrifying hardness pressed against his ass. Aomine had been…Aomine enough to leave him no underwear and he was having a hard time making sure nothing showed whenever the man behind him shifted. Plus, the thought that he'd been in the exact same position when he'd been assaulted earlier on scared him more than he was willing to admit.

He'd been in front of more people too…now's he's on home-turf, who knows what he'll do?

Kagami decided it would be safest if he tried to escape Aomine's hold. Everything about it was supposed to soothe the omega in him -it was probably why Aomine had done it- but in light of previous events and the knowledge that Aomine was rotten to the core, all it did was make him nervous.

And he didn't dare give the infinitesimal part of him that had been relaxing against Aomine's touch the time of day. Because it was that part of him that needed to die a quick but pain-filled death. And it would if Kagami had his way.

"I need to go to the bathroom." He tried to wriggle his way out of Aomine's grip but the hand tightened threateningly in his hair.

"Do you now? First I'm hearing about it."

"Maybe because I don't make a habit of telling people whenever I need to piss." Aomine planned to retort but was interrupted by a beautiful sound that was pretty unfamiliar, even to him.

"It looks like you have your hands full with this one, Daiki." Akashi commented once he'd stopped laughing. "Let him go." His hair was freed and he wasted no time escaping the room, still trying to keep his robe under control.

* * *

He loitered as much as he could before finally making his way back, planning to take a seat as far away from Aomine as possible. Even though Akashi creeped him out, it was nothing compared to what he felt for Aomine so it was worth the sacrifice.

It was as he approached the door that he caught their conversation and it made his skin crawl.

"There were more than a few inquiries as to whether you planned on sharing our redheaded token."

"Eventually. But right now, he's mine. I'm not sharing so the rest of them can go fuck themselves."

"Really Daiki. Still so possessive. Sometimes I wonder if you've grown at all. Mentally that is."

There was a moment of silence in which Kagami guessed Aomine was doing his 'lazy shrug', a clear sign that he didn't give a damn. Not one.

"Whatever. He's still mine. Until I get bored of him."

"I see I'm guilty of the same sin as you. I still dote on you far too much. Fine, but all I ask is that you don't act recklessly. This omega…he's different…"

"Oh I know. I don't think I've ever seen an ass like that. And he's huge for an omega."

"Whilst I won't dispute that, that wasn't what I was referring to. But maybe he'll be more willing to tell you about himself once I've left as it seems he's too frightened to be in my presence currently."

The door swung open before he could even process the fact that he'd been caught a long time ago. Akashi smiled at him, gesturing into the room.

"Don't feel hesitant on my behalf. I'm leaving now so I'm sure you and Daiki will have the opportunity to really get to know each other."

Aomine grinned toothily and Kagami cursed himself for using the escape card too soon.

Because right now, things didn't look so good...


	6. Chapter 6

Hierarchy: Domain

Chapter 6: StayChapter Text

* * *

Kagami ventured gingerly into the room and took a seat far from Aomine. He waited for the other man to say something but he didn't, so he allowed himself to relax slightly, keeping his eyes defiantly but nervously fixed on the man in front of him.

"Let's talk."

Aomine's eyes bored a hole through him and despite being further away, he didn't feel safer at all.

"About what?" Kagami replied, testing the water.

"You. Obviously. Unless you want to know more about me-"

"You?" Aomine shrugged.

"I mean you might as well. We'll be getting pretty close in the next few months-"

"Yeah, you wish…" Kagami muttered quietly. He still wasn't completely used to the idea of everything he said be picked up and used against him.

"It isn't a wish. More like a fact." Kagami was startled but didn't let it show.

"Whatever…"

"So. What do you want to know?"

"When I'll be out of here."

"When I'm bored of you, duh." Aomine smirked. "My turn." Kagami gritted his teeth but took a deep breath, letting it soothe him.

"Fine."

"Are you really a rogue?"

"Yes. My turn-"

"Not so fast, sweetheart. I wasn't done yet. You have a habit of cutting people off. Or is it just me?" Aomine batted his eyelashes and laughed at the flash of rage on Kagami's face.

"Take a wild guess."

"Hmm…maybe later…Back to my question, though. Your name is Japanese. So how did you make it to America?"

"I don't fucking know do I?"

"What, so you don't remember whether you were born there or if your parents brought you there when you were a kid or-"

"I was born there."

"Now we're getting somewhere! At least I know you're not an alien and you didn't just appear. That would be weird. But I've never fucked an alien before…"

Confirmed: he's seriously messed up.

"Right…well, what do you do?"

"Do…what?"

"I mean your job genius." Kagami figured if he found out what Aomine did for a living, it would give him an idea of when he'd be out of the house, and then he'd be able to plot his escape.

"Wait…you haven't heard of me before?" Kagami narrowed his eyes at him.

"Does it look like I have?"

"Are you being serious? As in, you've never heard of the Generation of Miracles?"

"Did you guys name yourselves?"

"No," Aomine growled, "that isn't the point…"

"I haven't heard of you. Great. So what does your 'Miraculous Generation' do?"

"It's 'Generation of Miracles', actually-"

"I don't really care. Answer my question." Kagami held his breath slightly. That had been a bit strong and he wasn't sure how Aomine would take it. The bluenette leaned back, flaring his nostrils slightly.

"I can smell your fear. Don't worry, I'm not pissed off yet. Anger is a weakness."

So why do you act like a temperamental asshole?

"Besides, I'll be paying you back for everything eventually."

Kagami flinched.

Aomine smirked.

"What was the question again?"

"Your job."

"My job…well, I guess we're like the police?" Kagami blinked at him, convinced he was joking.

"Wait, you're serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

I mean…kidnapping, sexual assault, battery and that's supposedly normal for you...police? Try criminal.

"So you go out every day, fighting crime?"

Perfect. At least I don't have to worry about him being around.

"You'd love that wouldn't you? Me not being here so you can plan your escape route."

Kagami wondered when he'd become so transparent, or if he always had been but no one had been perceptive enough to pick up on it. Or worse, he was totally normal but Aomine as just abnormally observant. He prayed it wasn't the latter, or he'd never be getting out.

"You keep avoiding my question. I just want an answer."

"Well do you see me in a uniform?" Kagami didn't want to look anywhere that wasn't his face. The bulging muscles of his exposed chest in his unbuttoned shirt would only prove to be a distraction. And a reminder of what he was capable of.

Not that his face is much better.

Everything about him screamed lethal power. All six of them were surrounded by that aura but it was strongest with him and Akashi. He was certain that had he been a human and not a wolf, he still would've been able to identify them as an obvious force to be reckoned with.

There were wolves.

Then there were alphas.

And at the very top of the pyramid stood alphas like the Miracles.

Everything about Aomine reminded him of what he was not and what he could never be. A world didn't exist where alphas and omegas stood on equal ground so he didn't even dare to think that they would one day see eye to eye.

The stubbornness of his personality made him want to fight the age-old inequalities that existed and had become so commonplace amongst their genders but that had always gotten him into more trouble than he could sometimes deal with. Earlier that afternoon was a perfect example of that.

But he detested the omega that he was. He hated that he was looked at as a sex-object, a slave and little else. All his capabilities and talents didn't matter. He was seen as a 'pedigree omega' first, Kagami Taiga second. He'd been aware of this from an early age, but he'd been raised in a completely opposing environment to the norm. His had been filled with acceptance and a total lack of prejudice. So, whilst he had developed into a healthy young man, both physically and mentally, his nurturing background had been a double-edged sword. Because the awareness hadn't been enough to prepare him for the brutality of the real world.

In reality, he was back to being just an omega. If he was lucky, he would be kept as a pet to a high-ranking alpha, maybe even mated though that was unlikely as his ancestry was unknown due to him being a rogue. If he wasn't, he would be passed on from alpha to alpha until he would eventually be used as a breeding unit for the commoners in the pack.

Both options were equally bleak. And all because he was born an omega.

Who wouldn't be angry?

He had no plans of going down without a fight, though. Even when every fibre of his being begged him to submit, he wouldn't. Not unless it was out of his own free will and he knew himself. That could never happen. It didn't matter what his fate ended up being. He wouldn't go quietly.

"What are you thinking about?" Kagami snapped to attention.

"What's going to happen after this." Aomine snorted.

"I told you already. I'll keep you here as my pet until I get tired of you then I'll pass you on to Akashi. Or maybe Tetsu, I haven't decided yet. Kise's been a prick lately so he can wait-"

"How do you see omegas?" Aomine quirked an eyebrow.

"I mean…is this a trick question?"

"Just answer it."

He leaned back completely, crossing his legs at the ankles and closing his eyes, placing his laced fingers on his built chest.

"They're great for sex. They get too needy. It's annoying. You might want to avoid that if you want to stick around…"

"Keep going." Kagami fought to keep his voice steady. It was his fault. He'd asked the question.

"I mean is there more? They make kids. Some of them anyway. They're pretty dumb."

"Anything else?"

"Heats." His eyelids snapped open, revealing burning cobalt blue irises. "Heats are like the best fucking things on earth. You fuck them, and fuck them, and fuck them. And they love every second of it. I wish every day was a heat day."

Kagami dry-heaved silently. What had he really expected?

"My turn. When did you start your heats?"

"Who said I had?" Aomine narrowed his eyes slightly.

"But you can lube yourself up…how does that work?" Kagami reddened, not ready to discuss his bodily fluids with a complete stranger.

"It's just…this thing that I do..."

"But how would you know you can do it if you haven't tried it yourself. And you only start needing to fuck yourself (or befucked, but we know you haven't done that yet) when you're horny. And being horny comes with puberty. So, either you're just a horny slut or you're a liar and a horny slut. Pick one." Behind Aomine's foul language was relatively intelligent deduction, and Kagami knew he'd been caught.

"It's none of your business-"

"I think you'll find it is. You're my omega for now. You have to tell me when your heats are so I can make time for it-"

"I don't have to tell you anything-"

"I mean obviously, you don't have to. But be honest, do you really think you'll be able to hide your heat from me? In case you haven't noticed, my sense of smell is pretty good and your scent is strong as fuck. And that's normally. If I'm not prepared for your heat, I might get a bit…excited. And I'm pretty rough, so that might not always be a good thing…for youanyway-"

"You're sick!" Kagami hissed, as the weight of the situation hit him square in the forehead. His head suddenly felt like it was splitting apart. Just being in the same room with the man made his skin crawl. Who knew how many crimes he'd committed under this roof? No wonder all the maids and servants were silent. They were probably scarred for life. If anything, knowing him…

"Do you sleep with your maids?" Aomine looked surprised, then burst out laughing.

"I mean, I don't make a habit of it. But I drink a lot…and sometimes I forget. Who knows what I get up to?" Kagami wasn't sure whether the act itself or the fact that he was so nonchalant about it made him feel sicker. It was likely a combination.

"They're betas though. So probably not."

"What do you have against betas?" He shrugged.

"Nothing really. But, they're bland. And why fuck a beta when there's plenty of omega ass to go round?" Kagami shot him a filthy look and he laughed again. "But that's two questions so I get to ask you two as well."

Kagami shrugged this time, mentally steeling himself.

"Go ahead."

"Is your ass real?" Kagami rolled his eyes.

"Yes, dumbass." Aomine whistled.

"Fuck me, there is a God…"

And hopefully He's about to strike you down.

"So can I see it?"

"See what?"

"Your ass." Kagami didn't compute.

"…what?"

"Turn around, bend over and pull your robe up." Kagami was speechless. Momentarily.

"Fuck no!"

"I'm only asking you now because I want to be polite. Because Akashi will rip me a new one if he finds out I've been rude to you…" He rolled his eyes. "But if you keep defying me, I'll just force you to. Or better yet, do it myself. I think I need a reminder of what your ass feels like-"

"F-fine." He winced as his voice shook but wouldn't back down.

Don't think about it, just do it. It's better than having him touch you again.

Kagami bit the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted the metallic tang of blood but did as he was told, climbing out of his seat and turning so his back was facing Aomine. He bent over, resting his arms on the chair in front of him then reached behind and tugged his robe roughly upwards, knowing he had nothing on underneath.

There was absolute silence as Kagami pressed his face into the chair, saying nothing. Or at least it sounded like nothing. Kagami's sharp ears could pick up the fact that Aomine's breathing was heavier than before. But not a word was spoken.

Eventually, Kagami figured that Aomine had had his fill and moved to lower his robe.

"I can't see well enough. Come closer."

His voice sounded slightly strained. Kagami felt disgusting but did as he was told once again, crawling towards Aomine and stop a few feet shy of his armchair.

"Use this." He toed a pouf towards him and Kagami hesitated, before bending over it, presenting his ass to Aomine. His claws dug into the soft fabric, shredding it and causing the stuffing to leak out slightly. Aomine didn't care one bit.

"Fuck, it's perfect…" he breathed. Kagami could taste the animalistic lust radiating off him and it made him shiver. But it also started to awaken a primitive side to him that he didn't want to acknowledge. The omega in him.

"You said you can lube yourself. Show me."

"S-how you how?" he rasped.

"Fuck yourself. Don't stop until your fingers come out wet." Kagami couldn't say anything. "And don't suck them either. I want to see what your ass can do."

Kagami fought with the part of his brain that wanted him to lash out at Aomine's face. That would be suicide and he knew it. Instead, he retracted the claws of his right hand, bringing it round to his exposed hole and braced himself.

"Do it slowly." Kagami pushed a single finger into his entrance, wincing at the dry burn and he heard Aomine's breath catch.

"That's right. Keep going." He pushed deeper, biting into the pouf as his breathing became shaky. "Okay, out then in."

Kagami slowly started pumping his finger in and out of himself, praying for his body to respond and thankfully, it did. Before long, his finger had acquired a slight sheen.

"That's…" Aomine seemed lost for words. "Put another one in."

"B-But…I'm wet-"

"I wasn't asking." Gritting his teeth, Kagami pulled out then pushed a second finger in alongside it, going at the same pace as before. At this point, his body had started to grow accustomed to the feeling and began to enjoy the sensation. Kagami tried to ignore it as long as he possibly could but all his body saw was preparation for something…a lot bigger.

It was maddening maintaining that slow pace. His body wanted him to move harder and deeper, brushing that spot again and again until he saw stars. But every time his pace picked up slightly, Aomine would bark at him to slow down.

He was a lot wetter now, his fingers slick.

"Three." Kagami didn't argue back this time, adding another one almost immediately. Aomine groaned.

"Fuck it…" Kagami heard a belt buckle and froze in terror. "Keep going. I didn't tell you to stop."

That's a good sign. He would've stopped you if he wanted to do something else.

Kagami kept fingering himself, unable to hold back a small sound when his fingers reached the spot inside him that was yet to fully recover from Aomine's earlier abuse.

"You found it, huh?" Kagami's arm shook and he nodded, burning with shame.

Aomine had been right before. He had fingered himself on occasion when his heats had started years ago. But due to a lack of understanding about his body, he hadn't even known his prostrate was there. Whilst he had thought fingering would be the natural thing to do, given how much slick he produced, it hadn't left him feeling enough pleasure to want to continue, so he had focused on his penis and eventually started taking suppressants. But obviously, there was no hope of that now.

"Curve your fingers. Don't move them out, just curve." Kagami did so and jolted as he hit that sensitive spot again. "Good. Now rub. Don't pump. Just keep rubbing it. That's good." Kagami started panting softly as the pleasure grew exponentially. The slow circling of his prostrate made him want to weep. All he wanted was to put an end to it.

And then he smelt it.

Aomine's scent was exactly like him.

Overpowering.

It was musky, primal, and permeated Kagami's senses entirely. He ran a tongue over his lips before he even realised what he was doing, fighting the urge to get closer to him.

He was horrified and flooded with self-loathing.

What did I expect from omega-instincts?

He felt so pathetic and so very desperate.

"You've started to drip. Like my scent?" Kagami ignored him, continuing to rub his gland and pant. "I can't wait to have thisass…"

Kagami cried out with surprise as he suddenly felt sharp teeth sink into the soft flesh of his left buttocks, the biting sting of Aomine's hand on his right.

"Keep going…" he groaned, and Kagami could feel the heat of his breath on his most private place. He obeyed him, blocking out every thought and feeling in his head and just focusing on what he'd been told to do. Eventually, he felt Aomine withdraw slightly and his shoulders sagged with relief. That was until he heard the sound of flesh on flesh.

Aomine sighed as he stroked his enlarged erection, aiming it at Kagami's plump, toned behind. He couldn't remember any moment in recent times when he'd been this hard and it was a revelation. Just seeing Kagami's fingers sink as far as they would go into his depths, having all but vanished had nearly made him cum. And to know that he was now torturing himself, circling between release and denial in some kind of endless spiral.

It was incredible.

He stroked his length harder, the words coming out of his mouth faster than he could process them.

"I can't wait to fuck your tight ass. To claim you as mine. It doesn't matter who gets to have you afterwards. They'll all know, your body will know that you're mine. Aomine Daiki's. You look so desperate for it…" Kagami bowed his head lower, still circling his prostrate, still no closer to finishing than he was before. He felt Aomine's hand grab one cheek, pulling it apart wider.

"Go faster. I want to see you when you cum." Kagami did so, panting heavily now as his orgasm loomed ever closer. His prostrate was throbbing under the attention and he felt like he would faint.

"Do you want it now? Want me to rip your virgin hole in two?" Kagami shook his head, the threat and Aomine's scent tearing a whimper from his throat. He was nearly there himself, fisting his swollen cock to completion.

Kagami felt the brush of his arm against his inner thigh and shuddered.

Maybe he won't hold back?-

Then realisation hit him.

One hand was currently digging into his ass. The other was jacking him off.

That couldn't be his arm.

Kagami didn't want to think. He couldn't think.

"Faster!" Aomine hissed, and Kagami did so. His breath was coming in irregular spurts and before he knew it, he was there.

He came with a shout onto the pouf, soiling it for life. Aomine came with a guttural groan all over Kagami's ass and thighs. But when Kagami stopped, Aomine kept going, painting his caramel skin with thick, creamy ropes of semen. The redhead collapsed in a sweaty heap, his ass still propped up by the forever-tarnished pouf and Aomine sat back into his chair, laughing in disbelief.

"FUCK! I'm going to have fun with you!" His voice hardened. "Now go shower. You're a mess."

Kagami's journey up to him room gave a whole new meaning to 'the walk of shame'. All he could feel and smell was Aomine. He could feel the now cold cum dripping lethargically down his leg and how it made the satin of the robe cling uncomfortably to him. He could feel the eyes of Aomine's servants on him, not judgemental but vacant. He wasn't sure if he preferred it or not.

Aomine was trying to humiliate and debase him. Make him feel like an animal. A brainless sex-toy.

He wouldn't let him.

He was going to get through this and come out the other side.

He swore he would.

After another cleansing shower, Kagami collapsed onto the bed, not want to think about what was easily the worst day of his entire life. He was just relieved that he could finally go to sleep. Everything else…he'd worry about it tomorrow.

* * *

The morning sun trickling through the curtains awoke Kagami from a fitful sleep. He spent a while gathering his bearings, just lying there. The slight ache behind him served as a reminder that it hadn't all been a horrible nightmare.

Eventually he got up, his ache more apparent. He wasn't sure whether the feeling was just a result of all yesterday's ordeal or whether it was verging on psychological.

He wasn't sure what the plan for the day was going to be as he had essentially been kidnapped. He highly doubted Aomine would have a schedule laid out for him and even if he did, it was likely to include plenty of insults and sexual assault.

Great.

As if he'd been summoned, the door opened and the handsome bluenette stepped into the room dressed in nothing from the waist up.

"Beautiful view, am I right?"

"Cut the crap. What are you doing here?"

"I mean, this is my house…"

"I'd kind of figured that one out, smartass."

"Oooh, look who woke up on the wrong side of the bed? I knew you couldn't sleep but I had no idea you'd be this grouchy. If I had, I would've given you some help-"

"No fucking thanks. What do you want?"

"I'm just letting you know what the plan is for today."

Kagami's earlier worries looked to be scarily accurate and he knew that was in no way a good thing. Thankfully, Aomine didn't appear to be going down that route.

"I thought you'd be lonely while I was gone," Kagami perked up immediately, "so I brought you some company." When Kagami didn't volunteer anything, he continued.

"Don't get ahead of yourself though, I'll be gone for a few hours at most."

A few hours are better than nothing. I'll take it.

"That it?"

"Not really." Aomine advanced closer, like the predator he was. Kagami tensed in the bed.

"Don't I get a good morning kiss?" Kagami must have given him a look that questioned his sanity as he laughed. "What's with the face?"

Is this guy for real? He threatens to rape me one night and wants to play happy families the next? Either I've lost it or he has.

"I haven't brushed…" he mumbled.

"Don't worry, I'll bear it."

"No…please…" Kagami closed his eyes with a sigh. It was too early for all this. He didn't know how he would make it a single week, let alone months.

"Have I told you I like when you beg?" Kagami kept his eyes closed, clutching the sheet surreptitiously as Aomine leaned over him. "Because I like when you beg." He lowered his head, pushing his nose into Kagami's neck and inhaling his intoxicating scent. Then he froze.

"Why is this still on?" Kagami opened his eyes to see Aomine's eyes fixed on his scent-blocking collar.

"I told you, don't-" Aomine slashed it to ribbons with a single swipe. It was so quick, Kagami hadn't even seen his hand startto move.

The effect wasn't immediate, but when it hit, it hit hard.

Kagami's intuition saved him, and he was just a fraction faster than Aomine, shooting into one corner of the room and crouching defensively. Aomine's hand was embedded in the mattress where Kagami's neck had just been. The redhead growled, pushing himself further into the corner and kept his eyes fixed on the alpha on the bed. Whilst he wanted to gage the distance between where he was now and the door, he knew taking his eyes off Aomine could prove to be fatal. Adrenalin pumping through his bloodstream, he knew the situation could become very dangerous.

Fight or flight.

He hoped he would make the right decision.

Aomine retracted his hand from the bed, looking at the strands of cotton stuck to his claws then tilted his head back…and laughed.

Kagami watched him, not sure how to react.

Should I run?

It was possible. Clearly, there was something very funny about the situation, or at least there was to Aomine, and whilst he was distracted, Kagami could escape. But who was to say it wasn't an act?

The sunlight glinted off fangs that definitely hadn't been there earlier and they were warning enough to Kagami to stay put. At least for now.

"You know, I'll give you that one…" Kagami remained frozen, scrutinising his every move. "You did say you smelt delicious. I underestimated you…"

"You do that a lot." His voice was slightly croaky. Aomine seemed to consider this.

"I do, don't I? Maybe I shouldn't…" Kagami didn't say anything to that.

"You know, you move quick."

"Is that a compliment?" Aomine shrugged, his fangs slowly withdrawing.

"Your choice. I mean, you're only stalling fate."

"What's fate? Me getting raped by you?" Aomine smirked and shrugged again.

"Maybe it is." He turned suddenly, facing the wall. "Shit. My phone. It's probably Akashi. I'll get the maids to sort out the bed." He got up and strolled towards the door. Kagami stayed put, watching him as he went.

"Don't worry. I'm not a threat anymore. You can relax."

"Not around you." Aomine laughed.

"Fair enough. That's probably a wise move. I'm going now. Be good."

* * *

"How is he?"

Aomine's mind flitted back to this morning, and Kagami's sweet scent.

"He'll live. He's just a wuss." Aomine's description of the earlier incident hadn't exactly sounded like childsplay but Akashi had grown to expect the bare minimum from Aomine with regards to his conduct. They had known each other long enough for him to be completely immune.

Still…

"I hope you're being nice to him, Daiki. Because there are plenty of people who would be more than willing to behave for an omega like that one."

"I am, I am. Heck, I think he's starting to like me." Akashi raised disbelieving eyebrows. "What?"

"Are you sure it isn't the other way around?"

"Like's a strong word. But we have chemistry." He could almost feel Kagami's pulse thudding against the skin of his flawless throat.

Wait…

Thinking back, something about that image wasn't right. Akashi noticed the slight change in his demeanour.

"Something wrong?"

Whatever. It's no biggie.

"Nah. Are we there yet?"

* * *

After getting a fresh set of clothes from the maids and giving them room to change the bed, he went to brush his teeth and shower. He certainly felt a bit better but was painfully aware of the situation he was in. He decided it would be too myopic to try and run away so soon. He would use the day to scope out the house and gardens, just to get an idea of what he was working with. Dressed in yet another impractical, skimpy outfit, this time a black, knee-length tunic with one too many panels cut out of it, he went to go and investigate.

Kagami spent what felt like hours padding around the mansion. It was like a hybrid between a traditional Japanese house and a sweeping English castle. The architect had clearly had a ball designing it and it was the perfect lovechild of the two contrasting cultures.

Kagami didn't really have an eye for building design so most of the house's beauty was lost on him. What he did notice were the possible exits to the garden; where different door led to and what they were made of; how high the windows and ceilings were and more. It wasn't long before a plan started to formulate.

"Kagami-san, your breakfast is ready." Kagami leapt several feet into the air as a butler appeared behind him. He was a patient-looking old man, with a heavily-lined face and thick, dark hair streaked with grey, all neatly styled. His posture was impeccable, even at that age, and there was a tranquillity about him that instantly soothed Kagami.

"Right…uh…thank you…?"

"Tanaka."

"Tanaka." Kagami took the opportunity to smile at him, not really expecting anything much given his reception from the maid the day before. Therefore, he was pleasantly surprised when the man smiled back, his eyes disappearing. It wasn't the grandest act in the world but after yesterday, it really made all the difference.

He had to give credit where it was due. Whoever was in charge of cooking was doing a good job of it because the food was great.

The first emotion he'd seen on the faces of any of the servants was shock as they saw just how much he was putting away. It was like he was in an eating competition but was all the contestants at once.

He had been so caught up in the food, he hadn't realised he wasn't alone.

"I'm glad to see you have such a healthy appetite, Kagami-kun." He choked on the boiled egg he'd been scarfing down, immediately reaching for a glass of water. A strong hand came to pat him on the back but he jerked away from it immediately.

"What are you doing here? He's gone."

"I'm aware of that. Aomine-kun invited me to come and keep you company." Kagami snorted.

"I don't need any. From you or him."

"If you're sure. I hope you don't mind me sitting here, though? Just while I wait for a car to come and pick me up."

"Knock yourself out."

Kagami continued to eat, mindful of Kuroko's presence but determined not to let it get to him. He kept reminding himself that despite his appearance, he was just the same as Aomine. An inconsiderate alpha who was too used to getting his own way.

He was close to clearing his plate when Kuroko spoke up again softly.

"Is he treating you okay?"

"Why would you care?" Kagami grumbled.

"Because I care about your wellbeing-"

"Ha!" He laughed hollowly. "You, an alpha, caring about me, an omega? And a token at that? Yeah, good one."

"Where does your complex stem from?"

"What complex?" Kagami growled.

"Your determination to belittle omegas-"

"You've got fucking nerve. I am an omega-"

"That doesn't appear to be stopping you-"

"You don't get to tell me what it's like being an OMEGA because guess what? I am one! I have to live that life out every fucking day. It's a full-time job and I'm living it! YOU only read the fucking job description!"

Kagami was fuming but deep down he knew there was a ring of truth surrounding the words Kuroko was saying. He just wasn't ready to accept it yet. The past days had been far too stressful for him to take a direct hit to the foundations of his psyche.

"I apologise for going too far, Kagami-kun. Forgive my intrusion." Kagami half-smiled, playing with the last of his food. His appetite was now gone.

"It's fine. The…the last few days have been rough, is all. Don't take it personally." Kuroko smiled gently at him.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

There was something about Kuroko that Kagami liked. The man went against every preconceived notion he had of him and alphas in general. Though experience made him wary, it was hard not to believe that Kuroko's sincerity was genuine.

If not, then he's one hell of an actor. He'd be in the wrong profession.

They'd spent the next hour sharing their backstories. Kuroko hadn't taken any offence to Kagami not trusting him from the off, and had been more than willing to tell more than his fair share of stories. The redhead couldn't help but warm to him slightly as he was easing his way into the gaping hole of loneliness he hadn't even acknowledged the existence of.

"Aomine-kun asked me to bring you more scent-blocking collars and wristbands in case there were any further…mishaps." They exchanged a look. Aomine was a walking mishap in himself.

"Thanks."

"If you wouldn't mind me asking…" Kagami leaned back in his chair.

"Go ahead."

"Have you begun your heats?" Kagami nodded, at first surprised that he'd given the information away so easily but instinctively feeling like it was the right decision to make.

"I see…and what is your opinion on suppressants? Because it might be-"

"Do you have any?!" Kagami nearly pounced on him. "I was trying to find ways to get to some!"

"Well, provided Aomine-kun agrees, I have no problems in ordering some."

There was no way Aomine would agree. No way in hell. But Kagami couldn't let the chance pass him by. He'd find a way.

"You're a lifesaver, Kuroko. Thanks!"

"I haven't really done anything worth thanking me for."

"Well I think you have, so thanks." Kagami beamed at him and Kuroko wasn't sure he'd ever seen something so bright.

"Aww, you never smile at me like that!" Kagami shivered as the voice he hated most drifted into the dining room. He didn't have to turn around to know that Aomine was there but there was another scent, one that he was slowly becoming more familiar with.

"Good afternoon, Kagami." The redhead nodded to Akashi, not daring to speak. There was something about the other wolf that set his hair on end. "Fear not, I just came to drop Daiki off and collect Tetsuya. We'll be out of your way in no time." At this Kuroko stood up and the three alphas walked back out of the dining room.

"Will you be visiting on the weekend?" Akashi asked Aomine as they stood by the door. "They've been wanting to see you for a while."

"I came two weeks ago!"

"You know how they are."

"Fine. I'll try."

"Excellent. Bring your omega." Aomine smirked.

"I will. Laters."

Akashi and Kuroko went, leaving Aomine and Kagami alone again.

* * *

"Looks like we have plans for the weekend, sweetheart." Aomine sat in the seat furthest away from him, at the opposite end of the long, wooden table staring out of the window as he watched the limousine drive away. "Aren't you going to ask where?"

"You know I heard everything."

"Fair enough. Well, make sure you're on your best behaviour. I don't want Akashi to show me up."

He'd do it anyway.

"Why do you care so much about what he thinks?"

"Besides the fact he could kill me? Well, it's something someone like you wouldn't understand."

"Someone like me…?"

"A rogue."

"And what's that, jackass?" Aomine snorted, eyeing the fruit bowl and impaling a nectarine on one of his sharp nails in an instant, holding it up and letting the sweet nectar drip down.

"Sibling rivalry."


	7. Chapter 7

Hierarchy: Domain Anonymously_Awesome

Chapter 7: Not While I'm HereChapter Text

* * *

"Want me to run that past you one more time?" Aomine laughed, looking at the uncomprehending expression on Kagami's face. The redhead scowled at him but inside, his brain was working overtime.

So they're brothers? That makes fucking sense. Explains why he lets him get away with damn near everything. I'm guessing he's younger, because he's spoilt as shit. But they don't look alike…at all…

"And now you're wondering how because we don't look alike…" Kagami stiffened, genuinely scared at this point that Aomine could read minds. Or at least his.

"No, I can't mind-read -"

"Liar!"

"But your face is an open book. At least to me…" Kagami blinked and Aomine was no longer at the other end of the table. He felt a hand grab his chin and turn it towards dark, searching sapphire eyes. "The only book I want to read-" He touched his mouth in blank shock, his finger coming away red from the blood that now dripped steadily from his lower lip. Kagami was now where Aomine once was, and everything about his posture radiated hostility and defence. His look quickly turned unimpressed.

"You better not be making a habit of that."

"Right back at you," he snarled, taking a step back.

The tension in the room rose before Aomine sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Don't fucking lose it, okay? I promise not to touch you again today." Tonight, however…Kagami narrowed his eyes at him and refused to relax. "I'm serious. If I do, I'll…let you get a hit in."

"Deal." Kagami said without hesitation. Aomine laughed.

"You really hate me, don't you?"

"Does that really need an answer?" He shrugged.

"Up to you." He didn't answer so Aomine moved on. "Yeah, we're not blood-related…" He stared at the drying crimson liquid on his finger. "Not by blood…but he's as family as you can get. They all are."

Who's 'they'…?

"Our pack obviously, but I mean…actually…" He grinned and Kagami didn't like it. "You'll meet them on the weekend."

Fan-fucking-tastic.

A maid entered the room momentarily, to clear away his plate and cutlery.

"How was breakfast?"

"Fine."

"Just 'fine'? The cook will be hurt." Kagami couldn't tell if Aomine was being serious or not. He vouched for not.

"Yeah, just fine."

"Tanaka? Tell the cook her food was 'just fine' and if she doesn't get it up to amazing by the end of the week, I'll fire her." The butler nodded and left the room, leaving Kagami to gape after him in horror.

"What the fuck did you just DO?"

"You're my guest. I have to make sure you're having a pleasurable experience-"

"And you're a fucking lunatic! How could you do that? Don't you care?!"

"I do. But not about the cook. There's a pecking order in this place. You're near the top. I have to make sure I'm seeing to as many of your needs as possible." Kagami blinked in confusion. Aomine made no sense to him at all. The one thing he knew for certain though, was that the man was a Grade A asshole and the world would be better off without him.

He got up, ready to run after Tanaka before he got to the kitchens.

"Where're you going?"

"To stop him!"

"Cool it. He didn't actually go anywhere." Kagami didn't believe him and yanked open the door but nearly ran head-first into Tanaka who side-stepped gracefully, then bowed with a serene smile. Kagami came back in, mildly embarrassed but he'd be damned if he showed it.

"Why didn't he…?"

"Tanaka knows when I'm talking shit."

What, all the time?

"Funny." Aomine deadpanned and Kagami started. "He knew he could ignore me."

"How long has he been working here?" he asked, out of curiosity as he wanted to know just how long the man had had to put up with Aomine.

"He came when I did, but I've known him long before that. He's my family butler. Has been since before I was born." That confirmed it. Tanaka was clearly either a saint, loyal to a fault or had infinite patience. Nothing else would cut it when it came to dealing with Aomine.

"So…?" Aomine rested his chin in his hands, smiling at Kagami. He had the urge to punch him. "Aren't you going to tell me more about yourself?"

"No. I don't want you knowing any more about me than you already do." Aomine pouted.

"But you told Tetsu…" His tone was light-hearted but there was underlying irritation to it. It was Kagami's turn to shrug.

"And what if I did? Jealous?" Kagami really didn't care either way, but it was good to see Aomine annoyed. The thought in itself worried him. Clearly being around Aomine was changing him for the worse.

"Yeah. I think I am…"

Jealousy was a pretty foreign concept to Aomine. He had no real reason to be jealous of anybody because he always got what he wanted. He lived a charmed life, he always had done.

Well, almost…

Calling Kuroko had been a suggestion on Akashi's part and whilst Aomine hadn't liked the idea entirely, as he was aware that Kuroko was just as attracted to Kagami as he was and he still hadn't managed to shake all his possessiveness, he knew the other wolf was regarded highly in Kagami's eyes. And it showed.

Even though Kagami's resentment was still very much there, he was talking more. It was slight, but noticeably so. Plus, he knew that if he gave Kagami too much room, the redhead would try making a break for it as soon as possible and Aomine wasn't in the mood to be hunting him down, so Kuroko playing babysitter made everything a whole lot easier. The other alpha kept Kagami's fighting spirit burning so for now, Aomine would let him visit as often as he wanted.

For now…

"Well, I guess you have the rest of the day to yourself. I obviously don't need to remind you that you can't go out anywhere so other than that, knock yourself out." Kagami didn't need telling twice. He got up and hurried towards the door but before he could leave, Aomine stopped him.

"Hold on, come back here." Kagami rolled his eyes at the door then turned around but didn't move closer.

"What is it?"

"I said come here."

"I don't want to." Aomine had to laugh at his honesty.

"I don't like repeating myself. I told you, I won't touch you today-"

"You do realise I have absolutely no reason to trust you, right?"

"You do realise if I wanted to have you, I could take you whenever I wanted, right?" Aomine watched him carefully, pleased at the tiny shiver of fear he spotted. "I could have you on this table with my dick up your ass before you could even think to scream. So I think you should take my word for what it is, whether you trust me or not."

As much as he hated to admit it, Aomine was beyond right. The reality was that every moment Kagami lived in this house unharmed, it was only because Aomine was choosing not to, not because Kagami had any say in the matter. Aomine completely overpowered him, and he was at his mercy.

The knowledge didn't sit well with him but as always, he ignored it.

No point dwelling on the obvious.

He walked over to him, standing a good distance away but Aomine beckoned him closer. He did as he was told, albeit reluctantly.

"Tetsu gave you these?" He indicated to the black, scent-blocking collar. Kagami nodded. Aomine traced a finger over the soft fabric.

"I don't like the colour. Make sure you let him know I only want white on you…" he hesitated then smirked. "Or dark blue."

It didn't take Kagami any time at all to see the hidden meaning of his words and he grimaced.

"Whatever-" Aomine's finger moved from the collar to his lips, silencing him.

"Don't make that face. It doesn't suit you." And before either of them could think that the following wouldn't be thebrightest idea of the day, Aomine had pulled him down and kissed him.

Aomine had never kissed anyone before, besides his family.

Kagami hadn't either.

It was their first kiss.

Kagami's brain had short-circuited and Aomine had no idea what he was doing or why he was doing it. He just was.

But why?

They both seemed to wake up at the same time. Aomine shoved Kagami backwards just as Kagami slapped him, pulling himself out of his grasp. But as he'd been pushed his nails only caught Aomine's face, slicing deeply into his cheek instead of clawing his face off like he'd intended before he fell on his ass.

They stared at each other, equally confused and accusing. That was until Kagami got up and did a world-class vanishing act, leaving Aomine to wonder whether Kagami's claims of him being insane were closer to the truth than he initially thought.

* * *

"Kagami-san? Supper is ready." Kagami had no appetite. The last time that had happened had been when he'd first started his heats.

Those had been dark days.

A part of him wanted to stay put but then that would give Aomine the excuse to come into his room and hassle him some more. And he didn't want that happening.

But it isn't like it matters whether he's here or there. It will still be just us. The staff wouldn't do anything. I'm no safer down there than I am up here. So does it really even matter whether he comes in or not?

He was living in limbo, never sure whether he was coming or going but Aomine was the ever-present threat throughout all of it. Like purgatory...

…what does that even mean…

He sighed heavily and got up, debating having a shower but then deciding to do it after dinner. Who knew what they'd get up to.

Thankfully, nothing.

Aomine wasn't even actually there. Kagami cursed himself on wasting a perfect opportunity to investigate the house further but he'd had no idea the bluenette wouldn't be there. He shrugged. There would be other opportunities.

He finished up his second plate of food and set his cutlery down. Almost as soon as he'd done so, one of the maids came to clear the plate away-the same one who had cleared in the morning. Tanaka appeared by his shoulder.

"Did you enjoy the food, Kagami-san?" The question reminded him of earlier that day and he gave a completely honest answer this time.

"Yes, it was amazing."

"I'm glad to hear that." The man smiled then stepped back to open the door for him. "I hope you have a good night's sleep, Kagami-san."

"You too, Tanaka."

"I'll try my best, sir."

...

Something about those words haunted Kagami slightly.

"I'll try my best sir."

"Why would he need to try?" he muttered to himself, in the darkness of his room. It wasn't like he hadn't been dealing Aomine all his life, so why did it sound like he would have a hard time now?

But he couldn't deny the air in the house had been slightly different when he'd gone downstairs. Everything seemed ever-so-slightly strained. Like there were cobweb-thin strands of tension hanging over everything, only seen when illuminated. It didn't make sense. Aomine wasn't there, so why were they worried?

Where is he?

Kagami didn't want to know. But if they were acting this way, perhaps it was better he didn't.

As he settled down to sleep, the heavens opened outside and rain came pouring down. There was a flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder soon after. Kagami closed his eyes with a slight smile, falling asleep with images of a furious Aomine getting caught in the storm.

Maybe it was the sound of the storm.

Or maybe it was the fact that Kagami was having the best sleep he'd had in over a week.

But he was completely unaware of his door opening a fraction much later that night, and the slightly bloodshot eyes that trailed heatedly over his sleeping form…

And of the muffled screams that followed soon afterwards, well into the early morning.

* * *

Kagami woke up with a groan, stretching out and sighing as his vertebrae popped with the satisfaction that naturally accompanies a good night's sleep.

His sharp nose picked up the remnants of a familiar yet unfamiliar scent but he didn't let it bother him too much. Nearly everything in this house was unfamiliar to him.

He washed up then made his way downstairs to the dining room. Tanaka greeted him at the foot of the staircase and walked with him to the room.

"Did you end up sleeping well?" Kagami asked, conversationally.

"I can assure you I did. Thank you for asking."

There was no wavering in his voice. He sounded completely sincere.

And yet, Kagami was convinced he was lying.

Once again, the meal was delicious. The chef cooked dishes he'd never eaten before and each one was superb. He couldn't help but want to try making some himself.

He was finishing up when he was suddenly hit by the most overpowering scent of Aomine and alcohol. It was as intoxicating as it was vomit-inducing and Kagami didn't trust himself to let the correct side win, instead scooting away from the man pressing against his back.

"And just where the hell were you?"

Why the fuck should I care?

Because he'd be outside causing trouble. At least when he's in here, you know what he's doing.

And again, why the fuck should I care?

"Where's it smell like?" He grinned lazily and Kagami shuddered. "Why, d'you miss me?" He reached out to touch Kagami's face.

"Like I'd miss cancer," he snapped, knocking his hand away. But Aomine's closeness brought the scent. And it was as he was pushing him away that he noticed something.

There was something underlying. Beneath Aomine's own scent and the smell of a thousand shots of whiskey. Something else…

A scent…

And it wasn't either of theirs.

Before Kagami could stop himself, he'd grabbed Aomine's right hand and sniffed at it. The scent was more noticeable there. But yet it hadn't been when he was leaning against him.

"What the fuck are you doing-"

"Who's scent is that?" Aomine smirked.

"Why? Jealous?"

"Fucking seething," he deadpanned. There was something about it he recognised. Maybe it was in passing…

He racked his brain, trying to work out where he'd smelt it before. It was a faint memory but it was a memory. It was somewhere in his subconscious. He knew who it belonged to.

But who?

"Tanaka?"

"Kagami-san?"

"I'm done eating." The man nodded and came to clear his plate. Kagami wanted to be alone so he could think through the problem by himself. Something about the situation was irking him. Aomine wasn't saying anything. Why would he? He was the guilty party in all this and nothing on earth could convince Kagami otherwise. But Tanaka was clearly covering for him. Kagami wanted to know what they were hiding. His instincts told him he needed to.

But they also told him he was entering a minefield.

As the man leaned down to collect his dirty things, something about the image triggered his memory.

"Wait!" His hand shot out and grabbed Tanaka's wrist. At this point, Aomine had no idea what was going on but was leaning against the wall, watching the show as he crunched through an apple.

"Yes, Kagami-san? Did you want thirds?"

"That isn't it…" Kagami mumbled, a healthy red rising to his cheeks. "There was a maid who cleaned my plate yesterday. Where is she?"

"There's a good chance she's in the kitchens, Kagami-san." Had Kagami not been holding onto his wrist, he probably would've fallen for the eventual lie he would have been fed. As it was, the fingers on his pulse detected the slight increase in the rhythm and Kagami pounced on it.

"You're lying to me. Where is she?"

"As I said before, Kagami-san, I'll check the-" They were interrupted by the sound of Aomine clapping.

"Nah, it's okay Tanaka. No need to keep going. He'll figure it out anyway. To be honest, I'm impressed that you worked it all out. You're pretty sharp f-"

"For an omega? Yeah, what-fucking-ever. Now what have you done to her?" Aomine whistled.

"Easy tiger. No need to get snappy-"

"That's where you're wrong, asshole. Her scent's on you. Especially on your hands…where the hell is she?"

"Her room. It's downstairs. The stairway is in the kitchen. Turn left, second room on your right. You can go there if you want to but…don't say I didn't warn you…"

Kagami held his gaze before turning away in disgust and heading for the door. Tanaka watched him go then turned to Aomine.

"Was that the best move…?" Aomine shrugged.

"Probably not. But he'd find out eventually." He bit into the apple again. "Why wait?"

Kagami ran down the stairs like he was being chased by a pack of wolves.

But there's only one. And he's more dangerous than any wolf.

He got to the door in less than a minute, catching his breath and composing himself. All he would do was go in there and ask questions. Nothing more. He'd find out exactly what Aomine was doing and that would be the end of it.

There was a part of him telling him not to rock the boat; telling him it wasn't too late to turn back and forget it had happened. And it grew larger and louder by the second.

But Kagami wouldn't pretend. It wasn't what he did. He was going to face it head on, and deal with the aftermath.

He knocked on the door once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Eventually, he heard a weak, female voice telling him to enter.

He opened the door…

…and was completely winded by the smell of blood…

…and Aomine.

Did he really need to ask anything?

Looking at the half-dead beta lying on the bed. The way she couldn't bring herself to make eye-contact, looking away in shame. The way she tried to get up to bow to him.

"D-Don't!" His voice broke and he nearly cried. Never had he seen something so pitiful. So miserable.

Aomine was one sick, sick man.

* * *

"How dare you."

Aomine looked up from his cup of coffee that he'd been using to try and destroy his headache before he went to work. Clearly he'd hit the bottle too hard.

"Yeah, yeah, I know…instant sucks but I couldn't be fucked to wait for the real stuff-"

"You're joking about this?" Kagami was trembling with rage. Aomine could almost see the flames radiating off him.

"About what-"

"What you…what you did to that girl…You're sick. You're as sick as they come." Aomine rolled his eyes.

"It isn't like I planned it, okay-"

"What? And you think that makes it alright?!"

"Did I fucking say that? I don't remember most of last night-"

"And whose fault it THAT?!"

"MINE! Mine okay, MINE! But what's done is done-"

"No fuck that…this…" He swallowed hard against both the lump and the bile in his throat. "T-This is the first time for her isn't…? A-Aomine…?" The bluenette avoided his gaze. "A-Aomine, for fuck's SAKE-"

"Listen, I don't KNOW, okay?! I can't remember-"

"How convenient for you!" Kagami hissed. "But that girl…that girl will always remember what you did to her. She won't everforget." Aomine was silent. "You're sick, you're sick, you're SICK-"

"Why the fuck are you acting like this is a surprise?" Aomine growled menacingly. "I told you I did things-"

"Oh, I forgot! Thanks for the heads up!" Kagami laughed, completely unable to believe that Aomine was actually being serious.

"No one forced you to go in there-"

"Like you SAID." Kagami was fighting to keep his temper in check. "I would've found out anyway. You can't justify this, you sick bastard. I won't let you-"

"What the fuck gives you the right to talk to me like that?" Aomine advanced to him, eyes a turbulent blue and jaw clenched. The faint scent from Kagami was stimulating the alpha in him. And not in a good way. The hatred coming from him was palpable. It was like it was manifesting into a dark cloud that swirled around him, warding Aomine off. He could almost see his hackles rising.

But at the same time, he couldn't help but react to the distressed pheromones Kagami was secreting. He wanted to soothe him. His alpha did. He wanted to rip his throat out. It was fucking with him. A little too much.

"You want to talk rights? Tell me what gave you the right to steal that girl's innocence…to rape her? Where's your right to do that? Can't you see how WRONG this is?!" He could. He always had. But the difference now was that Kagami was forcing him to acknowledge it. No one had ever done that before.

He wasn't willing to accept his faults flat out.

"I'm giving you one last chance. Shut the fuck up. This isn't any of your business-"

"So you turn to threats when you realise you're talking shit. At least you're honest about it-" Aomine grabbed his face, shoving him against the wall. He could feel the heat and the scent coming of him in waves and he fought to keep his focus.

"I don't want to be hearing this from you of all people." Hs voice was deathly quiet. "Not now, not ever-"

"Well guess what? You're going to! I'm not letting this slide." In contrast, Kagami was still raging, still trying not to explode. "This stops here, and it stops NOW-"

"Says who-"

"Says ME."

"It's your fault I did it!" Aomine hissed with such venom, Kagami was shaken into silence. "You're fucking with me and youknow it-"

"THEN SEND ME AWAY! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Aomine made no sense. It was one thing to try and shift the blame onto him for whatever twisted reason but then why not send him away? And just when he thought the man couldn't make any less sense…

"No." Kagami was stupefied.

"You're kidding, right? Please, let this be the joke. Are you fucking serious?!" Kagami lunged for his throat but Aomine was faster. He slammed his hands into the wall and Kagami heard the break rather than felt it.

"I said no. That's final." Kagami summoned the very last threads of restraint, mentally tying them to himself in order to keep him anchored.

"Then send them away. All of them."

"What."

"Keep Tanaka. Keep the cook. But the maids, send them away."

"And how the fuck do you expect the house to stay clean-"

"I'll do it. And anything I can't do, you can call them in for the day. But I won't let you treat them like this. Never again-"

"This was your fault-"

"Fine. I'll take the fucking blame." Kagami's eyes hardened to scorching, red coals. "But it's me or them. Choose." Aomine's stormy eyes met his for what felt like an ever-lasting moment. But eventually he released him, cursing.

"Fine."

And he stole out of the room, not looking back once.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER: 8

Kagami could finally breathe once Aomine had gone, feeling so relieved his knees nearly buckled. The adrenalin that he'd been feeling when he confronted Aomine had disappeared, leaving him feeling drained, his courage now back to normal levels.

There were one too many things wrong with Aomine. This, he knew already. However, replaying their argument-cum-death-match, he now realised that it was unlikely anyone could solve any of his problems. He was that fucked up.

His fingers suddenly throbbed with pain and he remembered that Aomine had broken a couple.

Damnit.

As he was flexing the non-broken ones to check that they were okay, the door opened and he jumped back but quickly realised the scent wasn't threatening.

"Tanaka." The elderly butler appeared from around the door and looked worriedly at Kagami.

"Kagami-san. I'm sorry you had to experience that. Aomine-sama can be…rough from time to time." Kagami quirked an eyebrow.

"I get you're loyal but…'rough' might be missing the mark a bit." Tanaka grimaced.

"Regardless…he had no right doing what he did to you." Kagami waved his uninjured hand.

"Honestly, I'm lucky I got away with a few broken fingers. Plus, it looks like it was a clean break. They should be good as new in no time." Tanaka nodded but secretly, he couldn't help but feel that it was a strange statement to make. How Kagami had reached the conclusion of his diagnosis was a mystery but he figured it was his optimism talking.

"Right you are. I can wrap them up for now but honestly, I would prefer not to touch them until Kuroko-sama arrives. He has first-aid knowledge so I am sure he will be able to find a suitable temporary solution until we can get you to the hospital."

"Oh! I don't need a hospital! It will heal up fine by itself."

"Really, Kagami-san, I insist. I cannot sit by and watch you deal with this by yourself. It is the least I could do for not intervening earlier."

"Don't blame yourself. There was no need to make Aomine mad at you, too. Besides, he's the one with the issues." Tanaka didn't jump to his defence for once and Kagami sat back on his heels. "Has he always been like this?"

"For the most part…yes…"

"But why? Judging by this place he can't have been too poor and he was talking about his family…Things can't have been thatbad, could they?"

"Perhaps you are right. But you would need to ask Aomine-sama himself for that. I doubt he would appreciate me disclosing what little information I do have about his upbringing." Kagami nodded.

"Ah, you're right. Sorry for snooping…He's just…really messed up. And I don't think anyone could get like that without a reason." Tanaka sad nothing in response but Kagami thought he saw a flash of pain in his misty eyes before it disappeared.

Then again, he may have been imagining it.

He had the urge to shower again as he didn't want Aomine's scent on him and he felt like the morning had been rough enough to warrant it.

Plus, if I can't hurt him, at least I'll raise his water bill.

Tanaka was worried he'd damage his fingers even more but according to Kagami, the break wouldn't become any more severe if he used them.

"Yes, but does it not hurt, Kagami-san?" The redhead shrugged.

"Well...it's nothing I can't handle. I won't be too long so don't worry!" He left the room and headed up the stairs to his bedroom but as he did so, he smelt Aomine coming down.

Shit.

He prepared himself for something terrible but Aomine ignored him completely, walking past him to the bottom of the staircase.

"Tanaka!" he called. The butler appeared in seconds, bowing slightly.

"Aomine-sama?"

"You get rid of them." He pushed an envelope into his hands and glanced over his shoulder. Kagami had long since disappeared so he murmured something to Tanaka who nodded then bow again.

"I will do my best, Aomine-sama."

"When don't you?"

And he left the house without another word.

* * *

When Kagami got out from the shower, his old clothes were gone and there was yet another revealing outfit laid out for him to wear. Clearly this was going to be a 'thing'. He wasn't impressed but at least he had underwear this time round.

Dressed in an oversized-black sweater with far too much cut-out, he lay on his bed and thought through the whole situation.

He'd acted rashly. He would admit that. But it had seemed to be the best decision at the time. He had thought that he was doing the maids a favour but was he really? What if they depended on the job for money to provide for their families? Had Kagami just taken that away from them? And where would they go now? What if they were rogues like him? The more he thought about it, the more he began to regret being so impulsive and letting Aomine's actions drive him to a rushed decision.

But nothing is worth the abuse…right? I…I think I did the right thing. I just wish I had a way of making sure that they'd all be okay after they left…

He heard a knock at his door and recognised the scent as an alpha's. An alpha he knew.

"Come in!" he called, straightening his sweater. The door opened and Kuroko appeared in the doorway.

"Good morning Kagami-kun." He stopped and checked his watch. "Or should I say afternoon?" Kagami's eyebrows raised.

"Really? Damn, time really does fly when you're having fun." He snorted but Kuroko smiled softly.

"Why, are you and Aomine-kun getting along better now?"

"Define 'better'. Wait, what did Tanaka tell you when you came in?"

"That I should check on you. Why?" Kagami shook his head. Tanaka's loyalty knew no bounds but he didn't resent the man for it at all.

"Basically…" He hesitated.

Should I rat him out?

Of COURSE! Why wouldn't you?

Yeah…yeah, you're right. Don't know what I was thinking…

"Me and Aomine had a…'bust-up'-ah!" He had made quotation marks with his fingers, forgetting momentarily that some of them were broken and winced slightly. Of course, Kuroko was concerned.

"'Bust-up'? What happened exactly? And you're in pain. Where? Why?"

"That's a lot of questions…" Kagami laughed awkwardly as Kuroko didn't seem to be in a laughing mood anymore. "Well the bust-up…I'll explain what in detail later. Because you might actually know more about it than me. The pain is in my fingers. Why? Because Aomine broke a couple during the 'bust-up'. No quote marks this time." Kagami was nervous. Kuroko's face was blank but somehow, that was worse than him showing expression. Because he had no idea what he was thinking.

"I see." His voice sounded tight. "Let me deal with your fingers first and as you said, we shall cover the rest later." Kagami nodded then frowned.

"Uh, dude?"

"Kagami-kun?"

"You won't be able to do much if you don't come in…unless you can stretch really far…or something…" Kuroko blinked then tilted his head slightly before he realised what Kagami was getting at.

"Ah. I believe it's inappropriate to be in the bedroom of another alpha's omega-"

"Right, let's clear this up. I'm nobody's omega and even if I was…I definitely wouldn't be Aomine's." Kagami brightened then. "Besides, he wouldn't have invited you over if he didn't trust you. And I trust you enough to think you wouldn't do anything so it's fine. Unless you think you can't be trusted…" Kuroko shook his head.

"It was just out of courtesy, Kagami-kun. I thought the position would make you uncomfortable." Kagami waved a hand.

"I'm totally cool with it. Come on in!" Kuroko did so. "Oh, and close the door behind you. It's pretty cold in here." After closing the door, he approached Kagami on the bed and gestured for his hand.

"May I?"

"Go ahead." He took what looked to be Kagami's injured hand in his and examined it carefully.

"Wouldn't it be more comfortable to sit down?"

"I assure you, I'm fine standing, Kagami-kun. But thank you for your concern." He squeezed gently at the three heavily-swollen fingers and felt a clear movement where there shouldn't have been any but was confused when Kagami didn't respond.

"Forgive me for asking, Kagami-kun, but…doesn't it hurt?" The redhead seemed to think about it seriously for a moment before shaking his head slowly.

"I mean…you're not really doing anything to them, so no?"

"But…I'm pretty sure they're broken."

"So am I." Kuroko did his 'blink-tilt' again.

"I don't follow." Kagami mimicked his earlier motion. "Kagami-kun, as far as I'm aware, it should hurt. That's my concern…" Kuroko leaned closer, staring into his eyes. "Do you feel any shortness of breath? Dizziness? Faintness?"

"Uhhh…no?"

"Tiredness, perhaps?"

"No actually, I got a good night's sleep last night. Why?"

"I thought that maybe you were going into shock, but that doesn't appear to be the case. And you haven't lost the feeling in your hands?" They were very swollen and an unhealthy shade of red so overall numbness seemed likely. If he had started to lose it completely, then that would explain why he appeared to feel no pain; because he wasn't feeling anything at all.

"Nope. I can still bend them and everything." Kuroko looked baffled. But still blank. "I don't think it's anything to worry about. I guess I just have a high pain threshold…" Kuroko nodded.

"We'll put it down to that for now, then when we get to the hospital they can-"

"Uh, could we not go?" 'Blink-tilt'.

"To where? The hospital?" Kagami nodded. "But Kagami-kun, your fingers are broken."

"Yeah but…I don't think it's that major. I don't really need to go there. And like I said to Tanaka, I think it's a clean break-"

"Your phalanges?"

"My what?"

"Finger bones."

"Oh. Yeah." Kuroko stared at Kagami for a minute or two, not saying anything and the redhead shifted nervously.

"I mean…if you really want me to go…I can go-"

"No. I won't force you into doing anything you'd rather not do, Kagami-kun. If you think the hospital is unnecessary then we won't go. I'm confident that I can set your fingers just fine with the skills I've gleaned over the years." Kagami smiled gratefully at him.

"Thanks, Kuroko. You're awesome!" Kuroko shook his head with a slight smile.

"I'm many things-" Kagami punched him playfully with his uninjured hand.

"Come on! Take the compliment, man!"

"As you wish, Kagami-kun. Now, if you wouldn't mind, could we go downstairs so I can treat your injury?"

"Sure. And you don't need to keep asking, you know. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it." He saw the uncertainty on Kuroko's face and tried to reassure him. "I'm serious. If you're going too far, I'll let you know. But I doubt you would. You don't seem the type."

"I wouldn't be so sure, Kagami-kun. Sometimes it isn't the best idea to trust people so readily." He hummed.

"Hmmm…maybe you're right. But…I don't know, I just get a good vibe from you."

"I'm very happy to hear that, Kagami-kun. I hope I don't end up proving your instincts wrong." He walked to the door and opened it, allowing Kagami to walk out first before following him downstairs.

* * *

"Unless you think you can't be trusted…"

Kuroko felt guilty. Because he couldn't completely separate himself from Aomine; he was just like him. Everything about Kagami was so appealing that being anywhere near him made it difficult to just to concentrate, live alone function as he normally did.

When he had opened the door to find Kagami on his bed in what looked like scraps of black wool, he'd inhaled sharply. God only knew why Aomine was tormenting himself by keeping the redhead dressed like that and not touching him because he knew the bluenette lacked self-control at the best of times. He had extremely high levels of self-control especially for an alpha but Kagami was pushing the very limit.

"And his scent…" he muttered. Kagami turned to look at him questioningly.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Kagami-kun. I was just debating the best way to set your fingers."

"Ah, okay!"

Kuroko had found him visually appealing when he'd first been revealed to them in the den. They all had. And he would be fooling himself if he said he hadn't felt dark envy when Aomine had taken him away after being the first to touch him. Totaint him.

He shook his head to clear his mind. He wanted Kagami. Badly. But it was for more than just his body, or because he was an omega. The more he spoke to him, the more his attraction grew. There was something so pure about the redhead, so noble. It was almost as though he was too good for this world. For any of them. So, for him to be stuck with Aomine was nothing short of rotten luck; a horrible, twisted joke.

Aomine would only corrupt him. Kuroko felt bad for thinking it as his best friend but it was true. It was because he was so close to him that he knew it was true. But he also knew that Akashi wouldn't stop him. He doted on Aomine far too much to take away what he wanted. He always had.

He sighed. Dwelling on Kagami in that manner wouldn't help any of them. Not him, not Aomine or Akashi and certainly not Kagami. That wasn't what he needed right now. What he needed was help. And even though it hurt, Kuroko was going to give it to him. At this point, the redheaded rogue had no one else to turn to. He was doomed to spending him days being passed around from alpha to alpha. No one to claim him. No real future. And yet he was still so positive. Kuroko had seen plenty of omegas they'd shared in the pack break completely on much less. But Kagami seemed different.

His desire for the redhead grew but he stamped it out for the time being. Kagami needed a friend. He couldn't promise a lot, but he'd try to do the best he could at fulfilling that role. A friend.

Nothing more.

He gathered his first aid equipment and went to meet Kagami in the living room. He was perched on the arm of the chair, staring out of the window as the skies grew darker but turned with a smile when he heard Kuroko enter. The bluenette forced his eyes to remain face-level and not stray to his toned, honey-coloured legs.

"Ready when you are, Doc!" Kuroko smiled.

"You might want to take a seat. I don't want you falling off while I work on your fingers."

"Oh yeah! Sorry…" He slid off the arm of the chair and into the seat but in doing so, his sweater rolled up slightly. Kuroko bent his head to open his bag, trying not to think about what he'd almost seen. When he looked up again, Kagami was decent-or as decent as one could be wearing what he was-and ready for treatment.

"Firstly, I got you an icepack from the kitchen so if you wouldn't mind holding it to your fingers while I prepared you a splint, that would be very helpful." He pressed the cloth-wrapped ice pack tenderly against Kagami's fingers, noticing that the swelling had already reduced from when he first examined them and the bruising had faded slightly. Kagami held the ice pack to his fractured fingers as instructed and Kuroko stacked two pillows onto the arm of the chair then guided his hand to rest on top of it.

"Just keep the ice pack firmly pressed on to it and keep it elevated."

"Gotcha." Kagami watched as Kuroko worked quietly, cutting a length of bandage and creating splints from thin lengths of inflexible wood. "Do you know what's wrong with them exactly."

"Well, I have no x-ray, but I suspect a displaced fracture at the very least, although your index finger seemsnto be comminuted." 'Blink-tilt'.

"They're what?" Kuroko laughed softly.

"Basically, they 'broke cleanly' to use your early terminology. However, your second finger might be broken in more than one place so it will likely need a more supportive splint, just to be safe." Kagami nodded.

"You're the boss. Like I said, just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"You're fine as you are, Kagami-kun. You just make sure you keep them raised."

"Sure. By the way, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"That's a lot of stuff you have in that kit. Does stuff like this happen often?" Kuroko sighed.

"When Aomine-kun is involved, yes. Accidents to tend to be more frequent."

"Right…"

"Could you remove the icepack now, Kagami-kun? I'm ready to set your fingers." Kagami took it off and held his hand out for Kuroko to work on. The alpha knelt down beside Kagami and slowly but deftly set them, cushioning them with cotton before positioning the splints and wrapping the injured fingers up. His ring finger was individually wrapped but the other two were wrapped together.

"I'm wrapping the other two together so that your index finger has added support." Kagami nodded, watching as Kuroko secured all the bandages and sat back. "How does it feel?"

"Totally fine. Thanks so much Kuroko!"

"It's not a problem, Kagami-kun. I'm glad I could be of help."

"Help is an understatement."

"I wouldn't be able to trouble you for something to drink, would I?" Kagami cursed.

"Damn, I forgot to get you something. Is tea okay?"

"That would be lovely."

"Okay, hold on one sec..." Kagami disappeared from the room leaving Kuroko by himself and he exhaled in relief.

"Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

There was a lot Kuroko wanted to do to, for and with Kagami, and the redhead saying things like that made his desires even harder to ignore and his reality even harder to accept. But he was taken. Until Aomine gave him away, he couldn't intervene. They were a pack. Unless Kagami was deemed shared property, he was under the ownership of the alpha who took him first. In this case, that was Aomine, whether he liked it or not.

He felt a rush of regret for backing off from Kagami's cage when Aomine had told him to. Had he persisted, maybe Kagami would have been his. He didn't feel any bitterness towards Aomine, not yet anyway. But he did feel jealousy. He wouldn't…couldn't deny it.

"Tanaka! I can carry it!"

"I do not doubt that Kagami-san, but I still think it would be better if I did it."

"It isn't like I don't need the practice!"

"Maybe so, but-"

CRASH!

"Uhh…oops?" Kuroko opened the door to find Kagami clinging to the tray with both hands and staring at the shattered cup with what was almost denial. He laughed sheepishly. "I…guess you had a point then…" Tanaka sighed and Kagami looked down apologetically. Once his head was lowered, the elderly man smiled fondly.

"If you want practice, how about I take the rest of these and you clear away the broken china?" Kagami looked up hopefully.

"Really…?"

"Yes, Kagami-san. Just try not to injure yourself further. I would not want your fingers getting worse."

"On it!" He disappeared in a flash of red and black and Tanaka shook his head with an amused smile, bringing the tray of tea things into the room. At this point, Kagami was back with a dustpan and lowered himself to the floor to sweep up his mess. Kuroko watched the rise and fall of his hemline as he moved and felt his throat go dry.

"I will take it back to the kitchen, Kagami-san."

"No, it's fine honestly-"

"I insist." They exchanged a look and both smiled, Kagami a touch apologetically, before he relinquished his hold on the dustpan and brush.

"You're right. I…sorry, I just wanted to help."

"Believe me, Kagami-san, you have helped more this morning than anyone else has done in this house for years." This time, Kagami's smile was grateful.

"Thanks Tanaka." He glanced worriedly at the spot on the polished, wooden floor where the cup had once been. Tanaka caught his look.

"Do not worry, Kagami-san. Aomine-sama never liked those cups and he is unlikely to notice anyway." He took Kagami's uninjured hand and squeezed it slightly before spinning on his heel and disappearing.

Kagami felt warm inside. For the first time since he'd been kidnapped he started to feel that maybe his daily life here wouldn't be so bleak after all. And turning to Kuroko, the feeling only increased.

* * *

"This tastes different from Tanaka-san's usual brew."

"Oh, that's because I made it! Do you like it?" Kuroko nodded.

"Very much so. I can taste a hint of-"

"Vanilla?"

"Vanilla." Kuroko smiled.

"I'm glad you like it! We put vanilla in our tea a lot back home." Kuroko raised an eyebrow slightly.

"'We?'" Kagami went red.

"W-We as in Americans! In America! You know! The USA? Ahahaha!"

"I do, indeed. I'm yet to visit but perhaps someday I shall."

"You should!" Kagami agreed, his eyes going soft. "It's great out there…" Kuroko felt a stab of guilt right through his heart. It was clear he missed his home, rogue or not. And they had forcefully taken him away from that.

"I'm sure in time, Aomine-kun would let you go back and visit." Kagami snorted.

"Yeah, when hell turns into the Arctic." Kuroko had nothing to say to that and sipped his tea quietly. They sat in silence for a while before Kuroko spoke up again.

"Earlier…" Kagami had been crunching his way through another hazelnut cookie that the chef had baked that morning and paused his chewing.

"Hmm?"

"You mentioned needing practice when it came to serving the tea. Why was that?"

"Oh that…that's…uh…that's actually what the bust-up was about…" Kuroko set his cup down.

"Care to explain?" Kagami swallowed the rest of his cookie and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Actually, I was kinda hoping you could." 'Blink-tilt'.

"Meaning…?"

"Kuroko…what exactly do you guys do?"

Meanwhile...

A hail of bullets shot towards the two wolves in the driver and passenger seat but ricocheted off the bullet-proof glass and into the mountainside and onto the road. However, it was enough to make the car swerve off the road and into the mountainside where it crashed hard, the crumpled bonnet flying open. Another sniper sent a single bullet to the engine and the ensuing spark was enough to make the entire thing catch fire.

"Perfect." He smirked, picking up his binoculars and peering through them at the wrecked vehicle before it exploded. He focused in on the front two seats but his smirk quickly faded.

"What the…-"

BOOM!

The entire vehicle was engulfed in flames faster than he could finish his sentence. A line of acrid smoke began to rise from its burning remains and he knew it wouldn't be long before the police caught wind of it and sent cars to investigate.

"E to B. Mission complete. Copy." He heard nothing but static on the other end of his transceiver and pressed the call button again. "E to B, do you read?"

Nothing.

"E to B, do you read?" The silence prevailed.

He lowered himself to his belly, reaching urgently for his binoculars again. It was difficult to see through the flames but he was fairly certain that there were two bodies in the front seats.

"So then why-"

He took the binoculars away from his eyes slowly, not believing what he was seeing. There were bodies in the back as well as the front.

There hadn't been before.

"E to A1, do you read? I don't know what's going on but somehow there are additional bodies in the target's vehicle. I'm going to evacuate the area so-"

"…evacuate the area so-" He heard the static-ridden copy of his voice coming from directly behind him and froze.

And then tutting.

"Really?"

He didn't even have time to breathe before his neck was snapped so hard, he was nearly decapitated. However, it was impossible to tell whether that or the bullet through his heart killed him first.

"Watch where you throw those bullets, you fucking asshole!" Aomine snarled, picking the bloodied metal pellet up and throwing it back at Midorima. The green-haired man dodged it with ease and it shot into the trunk of the tree behind him with such force, it blew a hole right through it.

"You should be more aware of your surroundings next time. I didn't throw it hard enough to kill you. Stop complaining." Aomine tutted again, picking up the lifeless body and throwing it off the cliff. Midorima caught it before it fell, moving so quickly it was impossible to follow him.

For a human, anyway.

"They sent a fucking human. The commoners were bad enough but a human? Fucking insult…" Midorima ignored him and continued setting the timer for the bomb in his hand.

"How are we going to get home on time anyway? I need to get back asap and I can't be fucked to walk today."

"If you put half as much effort into your work as you did your sexual trysts, we would not have a single problem." Aomine ignored the dig and snickered.

"You just complimented me. You know that, right?" Midorima snorted.

"Little things please little minds."

"Whatever, four-eyes." Midorima finished and threw it near the burning car before procuring a wet wipe and wiping the reddened tips of his fingers with it. He grabbed Aomine's hands and did the same before flinging it towards the fire. It was consumed immediately with a slight crackle due to the chemicals in it before being burnt to ashes in mere seconds.

Their sharp ears picked up the wail of sirens miles away and Midorima shoved Aomine off the edge of the mountain, leaping gracefully after him as the bomb detonated.

* * *

"So…you're like a crime ring?"

"I suppose we qualify for that description…"

"You included?" Kagami couldn't believe it.

"Well, there are limitations to what I can do. But yes." He seemed to have trouble taking all of the information he'd just heard in.

"This is why I told you not to be so trusting, Kagami-kun. Whilst I'm not proud of my way of life, I recognise that it's my duty-"

"That doesn't change how I feel about you, though." Kuroko stopped immediately.

"I'm…sorry?"

"I…I still think you're cool. Don't ask me why I'm saying this because I'm not entirely sure either. But…I get what you're doing and it makes a lot more sense now that you've explained it…I'm surprised I'm saying it but I get what you do and why you're doing it and it doesn't change the fact that I like you…at least this you. For all I know you have some freaky alter-ego. I can't speak for that but I can speak for the guy I'm seeing now…am I making sense?"

"Perfect sense, Kagami-kun. And I assure you, no such alter ego exists. I strive for consistency in life." Kagami couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face.

"Actually, now that I think about it, the underworld police suits you more." Kuroko smiled too.

"That works just fine by me."

Kagami gave him a brief version of the events earlier that morning and to his credit, Kuroko didn't look overly surprised but was no less disappointed. His blank features couldn't fully disguise it.

"Well, that's a pretty damning report, even for Aomine-kun's standards. But can I ask one thing?"

"Go ahead."

"Please…if you can, try not to put yourself in harm's way like that again. Aomine-kun can be volatile when he's challenged and a lot of the time he doesn't know how to control his strength. I wouldn't want you caught up in that-"

"But you get I had to do it, right?" There was a hint of worry in his voice. "You know I couldn't just sit back and let it happen. I mean, maybe they're betas and they're Delta wolves but…that doesn't change that what he did was wrong…you do see that, don't you?" Kagami was half-way to pleading with him and he could tell he was getting upset. And though his alpha instincts fought to reach out and comfort him, the reality was their mindsets differed significantly.

"I do, Kagami-kun. I promise I do." Kuroko sighed. "But the truth is, your mindset is very…human. It isn't the same as our kind. In reality, we take classification and hierarchy very seriously. The more I think about it, the more I realise it's at the pinnacle of everything we do. And that's even more true for the rest of our pack. Especially wolves like Aomine-kun, who sit at the very top of the food-chain. To an extent, he won't understand your sentiments because his mindset is vastly different to yours." Kagami bit the inside of his cheek, and nodded.

"Yeah…I know. I've seen plenty of guys like him and I get why they think that but when they look at them like they're less important…or worthless…it hurts. Because people look down on me like that all the time, because I'm an omega…until they realise I'm 'pedigree' then they're all over me…" he muttered with a shudder. "But I couldn't help but get invested, you know?"

"I do. And you're right to. Ultimately, if you think that's right then you should stay true to your ideals. I think yours is the right way of thinking, but we're yet to really adopt it." Kagami beamed and Kuroko's heart pounded.

"You think so?" Ignoring his accelerated heartbeat, he nodded.

"Indeed." And maybe it was because he'd seen Tanaka do it earlier or it was just becoming unbearable to keep himself away from Kagami entirely, but he reached out and squeezed his hand slightly. Kagami caught his lower lip between his teeth, smiling widely at Kuroko.

"Actually, I wanted to ask-"

"Well, hold that thought!" Kagami nearly jumped out of his skin as the door swung open and Aomine stepped in with a toothy grin, narrowing in immediately on their hands. "How sweet! Fuck me, Tetsu, I didn't know you were such a sap! 'Stay true to your ideals', damn!" He whistled. "I might have to steal that one. Maybe then my little firecracker over here won't look at me like he wants to stab me with a carving knife."

"I'm not your anything!" Kagami hissed, having already pulled his hand away from Kuroko's with a blush.

"Oooh, so you like romance? Gotta admit, I'm an action-man myself."

"Nobody cares," he grunted. Aomine looked affronted.

"Harsh!"

"How was your day, Aomine-kun?"

"Pathetic!" He threw himself onto the opposite couch, folding his arms behind his head and stretching his long, powerful legs onto the other arm of the chair. "They send a couple of commoners and -get this- a human!" He sneered. "Who the fuck do they think we are?"

"I admit, that is a gross underestimation."

"Too much, according to Specs. He thinks something's up but whatever. Everything's a fucking conspiracy to him." Aomine rolled his eyes then they settled on Kagami and he grinned. Kagami ignored him.

"What's with the face?"

"Asshole. Don't act dumb." Aomine pouted.

"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean it-"

"Don't treat this like a joke!" Kagami snarled. "You nearly killed her!"

"But I didn't. And that's what counts." Kagami balled his hands into fists…or at least tried to, but the splints on his right hand stopped him. Aomine noticed.

"Come. Let me see what magic Tetsu's worked on you." Kagami didn't want to move but Kuroko shot him a slightly reproachful look and he got up. When he was close enough, he held out his bandaged hand and Aomine took it, turning it this way and that.

"Try not to be so rough, Aomine-kun." Aomine raised an eyebrow but dropped his hand.

"Whatever." There was a moment of silence then Kuroko stood up.

"Well, Aomine-kun, I'll be taking my leave. Enjoy your evening." He waved to Kagami. "I'll see you, Kagami-kun." The redhead smiled as brightly as he could.

"Bye, Kuroko!" The pale wolf left the room and once again, it was just the two of them.

"You really like him, don't you?" Kagami said nothing.

"Have you eaten?"

"No."

"Do you want to?"

"Will you be there?"

"Yes."

"No."

Aomine tutted.

"Fine, starve yourself. See how far you get." Kagami took that as his cue to leave but Aomine stopped him.

"Hold up. I thought I told you to change those."

"I forgot to ask Kuroko." Aomine scanned his eyes but he didn't look like he was lying.

"You did that to piss me off, didn't you?"

"Not everything's about you."

"In this house it is." Kagami nearly rolled his eyes but managed to stop himself at the last minute.

"You do realise we're visiting my parents tomorrow, right?" Kagami had completely forgotten but nodded anyway. "I told you I don't like them. Either take them off, or find replacements."

"But I can't-"

"You heard me." Kagami wanted to hit him but held his tongue and stormed out of the room.

Aomine watched him go, feeling the first stirrings of arousal in his belly as he watched him disappear.

Fuck , he's hot.

Kagami went up to his bedroom in a fit of anger. Aomine was so unreasonable it killed him. He basically wanted him to put himself at risk but would turn around and blame him when shit hit the fan.

I want to wring his fucking neck!

He slammed the door behind him for good measure and threw himself onto his bed. As he did so, he heard the crackle of something under his pillow and got up immediately. Removing the pillow, he found a handwritten note.

Dear Kagami-kun,

I know I told you to consult Aomine-kun about your heats and whether you would be using any suppressants but I thought it would be wise to leave you some in case of emergency. I still advise you to speak to him about your future plans but I know these things can be irregular and I thought it would be better to be prepared.

You will find them in the top drawer of your dresser.

Until next time.

Kuroko Tetsuya.

Kagami didn't dare breathe as he pulled open the top drawer and found not one but two types of suppressants as well as some scent-blocking tablets. He closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer of thanks. The tablets would be more than enough to carry him through the weekend until the next time Kuroko came and then he could get some more collars and wristbands.

"Thank you Kuroko…thank you so much!"

Flooded with relief, he went to have another shower and made his way straight to bed.

* * *

Saturday morning arrived before he knew it and the first thing he heard wasn't the chirping of birds but the savage growling of his stomach.

He was starving.

He went to go and brush his teeth before leaving the room and making a beeline for the kitchen. Marisa (or Mari-chan as she had insisted yesterday that Kagami call her) was frying eggs when he came in and she smiled at him.

"Good morning Kagami!"

"Morning, Maris-"

"Ah, ah, ah!"

"Mari-chan…?"

"Better!" She beamed and then sniffed. "Kagami…?"

"Mmhmm?" He already had a piece of toast in his mouth and was buttering the another one.

"Kagami…you smell a bit…strong…Aomine-sama…" She petered off awkwardly and Kagami looked down, realising he'd taken his collar and wristband off the night before. He dropped the toast immediately.

"Crap, I forgot! Thanks, Marisa!" He vanished before she could correct him again and she smiled. There was something so innocent and sweet about him that she adored. All she wanted to do was molly-coddle him the way she had Aomine when he was younger. But of course, she couldn't do that anymore.

Still, maybe he'll be good for Aomine-sama...I can only hope…

Kagami went back to his bedroom and grabbed the scent-blockers from his top drawer. He then went to the bathroom, popping a pill and chasing it down with a few handfuls of water.

The dosage was thrice a day but Kagami tended to at least double the dosages for everything, as medication never seemed to be as effective for him. Thus, he thought it better to take a packet with him and sneak them throughout the day. As he was there already, he washed his face and scent glands quickly then went back downstairs, this time to the dining room. Aomine was there this time, drinking a cup of coffee. He looked up when Kagami entered and his eyes followed him to the table.

"No good morning kiss?"

"Drink bleach." Aomine laughed.

"Make sure you eat quickly. You have to go and shower pronto. They don't like it when I come later than midday." Kagami looked up at the clock. It was only coming to nine.

Aomine sniffed the air and Kagami saw his pupils narrow slightly. Clearly the tablets hadn't kicked in yet.

"Mmmm, definitely shower."

Kagami wolfed down all the food in front of him at record speeds and Aomine watched him, slightly amazed.

"Fuck, you like your food, don't you?" Kagami reddened slightly and shot him an evil look but kept eating. Aomine chewed idly on a sausage and watched him. Ordinarily, Kagami would've been irritated and embarrassed by the attention but currently, he was too hungry to care.

He had the brief thought that something about the meal didn't taste right but he didn't pay it much mind. It was probably the bad company.

As soon as he was done, he grabbed his dirty things and took them to the kitchen then shot up the stairs to go and shower. In his mind, the sooner the day was over, the better.

He came back to his room to find the trend had stopped, or had at least halted for the day. There was another dark-blue tunic -albeit a very low-cut one- with a pair of loose, slightly-translucent, white trousers. And underwear.

A miracle.

Kagami dressed up and ran a hand through his messy hair before giving up and going downstairs. Aomine was leaning against the door, waiting, but when Kagami arrived, he beckoned him closer. Kagami proceeded with caution but gasped as Aomine grabbed him round the waist, tugging him closer and pressed his nose to his neck, inhaling deeply.

"Better...for them, anyway…" Kagami broke free of his grasp and stumbled slightly. Aomine caught him again but Kagami yanked his hand away.

"Chill. I was just trying to help."

"You don't know what the word means." Aomine shrugged and opened the door, making his way to the shiny, black, expensive-looking 4x4 out front. Kagami followed after him, confused as to why he hadn't been able to dodge Aomine's hold and why his sense of balance was off.

"Get in. We don't have all day." Kagami did as he was told, climbing into the back seat and shutting the door behind him. He heard the crackle of the plastic packaging containing the scent blockers in his pocket, but the sound was almost…distant.

"You strapped in?"

Kagami turned lethargically to the seatbelt and struggled to pull it over himself but he couldn't seem to get it into the buckle. He kept missing.

"A…Aomi…ne, what di…" His vision faded into black as he saw the other man turn around and reach towards him.

* * *

When he woke up, the car was approaching an absolutely gigantic house in, what looked like, the middle of nowhere. Kagami had no idea where he was and more importantly, what Aomine had just done.

Kagami groaned and Aomine eyed him through the rear-view mirror.

"Finally awake, sleeping beauty?"

"Fuck…you…" Aomine rolled his eyes.

"Grumpy as ever."

"What did you do to me?"

"Technically nothing…or nothing that hasn't been done to you already." Kagami didn't like his cryptic answer but his clothes didn't appear to have been tampered with and his scent blockers were still there.

"Where are we? Is this your parents' house?"

"Maybe it is…" Kagami caught his smile in the rear-view mirror and his blood ran cold. "Maybe it isn't."

They pulled into the driveway and Aomine honked twice, letting whoever the inhabitants were know that he had arrived. The car stopped and Aomine put up the hand-brake, unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Come on, get out." He opened the driver's door and stepped out, then opened the door behind him, on the opposite side of where Kagami was. His sluggish mind tried to think of a quick escape route in case the situation warranted it but the reality was he had no idea where he was.

"Are you still asleep? Let's-fuck it."

The front door of the house was now open but Kagami didn't see anyone standing in the door way. He was confused by the whole situation and was about to ask Aomine what the hell he was playing at when he felt a warm body pressed against his and an even warmer, wet tongue against the pulse in his neck. The intruder pushed their nose into his scent gland and giggled almost tipsily.

"You've probably been told this before…" They inhaled deeply and a hand slid down to his crotch.

"…but you smell really good."


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER: 9

"OW!"

"Don't 'ow' me, brat! How many times do I have to tell you to keep your hands off what's mine?"

"'Brat'? I'm older than you!"

"Details, details. Get off my omega and out of my car! Fuck, you're a pain."

"MEAN!"

Kagami sat frozen as Aomine tugged the other wolf off him, before slamming the door shut. He didn't have time to process what was going on before the door right next to him opened and Aomine leaned in, unbuckling him from the car.

"She's a man-eater but don't panic and do not run. She can smell fear." Kagami stiffened and allowed Aomine to pull him out and tuck him under his arm. He had no idea what was happening and was still slightly out of it so he decided to go along with what Aomine was saying…for now.

As they approached the front door, with the woman who'd attacked him trailing along dejectedly behind Aomine, Kagami realised there appeared to be two of the same person standing side-by-side in the doorway. Except one was definitely male and the other clearly female.

And one of them was more than slightly familiar…

"Daiki, I'm glad you could make it on time."

"Daiki! We've missed you!"

"How? It's been two weeks, tops."

"I can't miss my son? What is the world coming to…?" She reached out and gently cupped his face, kissing him on the cheek. Kagami tried to wriggle out of his hold but Aomine wouldn't let him. The woman noticed his struggling and turned to him with intrigued, maroon eyes. But they were warm. Oh so warm…

"Oh? Is this the omega you were telling me about, Seijuro?" Akashi nodded.

"Daiki seems to be smitten with this one." Kagami felt his face heat up and struggled harder, finally getting away from Aomine but staggered slightly. Somebody caught him and when he looked around, the other three didn't appear to have moved.

Not again…

"Careful there!" He felt slender but strong arms steady him and turned to look into a pair of captivating, pink eyes.

Eyes that were beginning to slit.

"I told you before, Satsuki. Hands off!"

"But he was going to fall, Dai-chan! I had to help him-"

"You mean grope him. That shit don't fly with me." The pink-haired girl pouted.

"It isn't my fault…he smells incredible…" Kagami had just been trying to keep up with the rapidly changing events but once he heard that, he touched his neck self-consciously. Aomine noticed and pulled him closer, despite Kagami's silent protest. The red-haired woman tutted.

"Really Daiki, you should know better than to let an omega go outside smelling that strongly. Especially when he has a divine scent like that." She looked kindly at Kagami. "I think I might have some blockers around here somewhere. I'll take a look in a second, okay?" Kagami nodded gratefully and she smiled wider before her mouth formed a delicate 'O'.

"Where are my manners? I'm the lucky mother of these three menaces. You can call me Seira-san."

* * *

Upon closer inspection, Akashi's mother did have the beginnings of wrinkles around her eyes and mouth but they did absolutely nothing to detract from her wholesome, motherly beauty. If anything, they added to it, as they formed the most endearing creases whenever she smiled. Which, Kagami quickly determined, was very often. She was a stunning-looking lady who radiated kindness and never-ending patience. Kagami figured she'd need it with a son like Aomine.

Momoi, as she'd introduced herself, was similar and yet very different. While she seemed just as kind and patient as her mother, there was a different air to her. A bubbly, lighter, immature air about her. But she was gorgeous. Painfully so. A complete buxom beauty with what seemed to be a heart of gold. And she had more than a slight thing for Kagami…

"Dai-chan, please! Just this once-"

"For fuck's sake-NO. I've told you, I never shared with you before I'm definitely not about to start now."

Aomine stood between Momoi and Kagami with his back to the redhead, fending off her advances with a growing scowl of irritation. Momoi's movements were absurdly quick, and Kagami suspected that her speed was probably her strongest suit. And yet, Aomine was able to keep up.

"Take a hike before I kick you dow-"

"Daiki!" his mother called from her room. "We've talked about your language enough times for you to know better." Aomine rolled his eyes. "And the eye-rolling needs to go, too." He stiffened slightly and Kagami couldn't help a quiet snigger. Aomine shot him a look over his shoulder and he shut up immediately but shot him a defiant look back.

Their mother emerged from her room holding a box of tablets with a slightly victorious smile on her face but a frown soon replaced it when she saw how Momoi was badgering Aomine.

"Satsuki, I've told you this more than enough times, too. The way you're acting is unbecoming of an alpha and a young lady. Please be respectful to Kagami-kun. He's our guest, first and foremost. And you know there's a hard boundary when it comes to this with you and Daiki. I don't know why you're going out of your way to test it."

Momoi bowed her head, defeated, and her mother took pity on her, stroking her thick, silky hair.

"Don't take it too hard, my sweet. Perhaps you can come to an arrangement later but for now, respect Daiki's stance." Aomine snorted.

"Not going to happen," he muttered under his breath, earning himself an unimpressed sigh from his mother and a glossy-eyed stare from Momoi. He tutted.

"Tch! Don't give me that look. I'll think about it, alright?" Immediately, like the sun appearing from behind the clouds, Momoi beamed and Kagami would be lying through his teeth if he said she wasn't a rare beauty.

She practically floated downstairs and Seira shook her head fondly before turning to them and handing Kagami the tablets.

"Take one every four hours. They're not as strong as some other brands but as I don't use them frequently anymore, I don't have many stocked. But I'll make sure to have a better supply the next time you come to visit, okay?" Kagami nodded gratefully.

"Thanks so much, Seira-san. I really appreciate it." She smiled, patting his hand.

"Not a problem. I know how hard it can be, regardless of how appealing you may smell. To us, it's an inconvenience nine times out of ten, no matter what they say." She muttered 'alphas' under her breath with a roll of her eyes and a cheeky grin to Kagami who returned it. Aomine tutted again, ready to complain, but she put a finger to his lips.

"You wouldn't understand Daiki. Now show Kagami-kun to his room. I'll start serving lunch in a few minutes."

* * *

Contrary to what he had thought about meeting the rest of Aomine's family, his fears seemed to be unfounded. If anything, now that he'd met Momoi and Seira, Aomine made even less sense.

I didn't know that was even possible…

Aomine led Kagami up the stairs to the room his mother had prepared. But within seconds, it was abundantly clear that the bluenette had plans of his own.

"This isn't my room, is it?"

"What makes you say that?" Aomine was rummaging through a closet for something. His closet.

"For one, it reeks of you. Two, all your stuff is here. Three, it reeks of you. And did I mention it reeks of you?"

"Alright, alright. You've made your point."

"I'm glad. So why, exactly, am I in your room?"

"Because you're going to be sleeping here tonight."

"Like fuck I am!" Kagami made a break for the door but Aomine beat him to it, slamming it shut and holding it closed with one palm against it as he caged Kagami between heavy oak and his body.

"Yeah, you are."

"Why? Can't you leave me alone for one night?" He was exasperated, and rightly so. Why always keep him close if all he wanted to do was make life difficult for him? For the both of them.

"Because you wouldn't be safe in your own room."

"Believe me, anywhere is safer than here with you." Aomine gave him a dirty look and leaned forward. Kagami's heart pounded and for a split second he thought about apologising for the comment to save his hide. But then he thought, to hell with it. At least if Aomine beat him to a pulp, his mother and sister would bear witness.

Or maybe they're used to his criminal ways…

He heard a click and suddenly Aomine was moving away from him and back to the closet.

"The door's locked. Get on the bed." Kagami's heart had just started to slow down but Aomine's words set it right off again.

"No."

"Why are you so stubborn?" His voice was muffled but there was no disguising the annoyance in his tone. "Get on the damn bed." Kagami decided to do as he was told. It wasn't like he could get out without Aomine's say-so, so his best bet was to play nice until he had a way-out. He walked over to the bed and perched on the corner furthest away from where the bluenette was bent. Eventually, he reappeared empty-handed.

"They're probably in the walk-in…" he murmured, closing the closet door and walking round to where Kagami was. The redhead automatically shied away but Aomine ignored him, opening the door opposite that led into a sizeable walk in wardrobe.

He went inside and continued to rummage around until he found what he was looking for. He returned with a fine silk shirt in a deep, rich shade of midnight blue, as well as a similarly coloured sweater. They were notably smaller than the man wearing them so Kagami could only assume that they were from when he was younger.

"Take your top off. And I'm not going to tell you twice this time." Kagami hesitated slightly but then took it off, watching Aomine's once normal eyes darken and narrow.

"Damn…I don't know if I'll be able to…" He swallowed and his eyes cleared somewhat. "Lie down." Kagami didn't do so immediately so Aomine pushed him down, lying on top of him.

The redhead lay frozen, heart hammering against the muscular chest above him. Aomine ran a hand through his hair, fingers tightening as he turned his head forcefully to the side. He shoved his face into his neck and Kagami whimpered in fear before he could stop himself. He was far too vulnerable like this. Aomine only had to sink his teeth in and Kagami would be as good as dead. They both knew it.

"I need to get used to…to this. Your scent…" He said it by way of explanation before letting his other hand roam. "Don't move too much. My teeth are pretty sharp right now…I wouldn't want you getting cut." His tone was playful, and Kagami couldn't tell how much truth there was behind his words.

His free hand traced a line down his chest to his left nipple, erect in the colder air. Aomine circled it, the feather-light touches making it swell slightly. It was at times like this that Kagami wished he had more control over his body. He gritted his teeth as Aomine inhaled, flicking his nipple at the same time.

"Not good enough." He brought the finger to his mouth, wetting it and his thumb before bringing them back down to play with Kagami's nipple, tightening his grip as Kagami struggled despite the earlier warning.

"What did I tell you? You really take the idiot thing pretty far. I'm doing this to help you-" The warm breath on his neck was a constant distraction. Kagami didn't want to think about how nice it felt.

"Funny, it doesn't look that way!" Aomine seemed pleased.

"He speaks! And here I was thinking you'd lost your voice. Good to know." Kagami growled but it turned into a groan as Aomine squeezed his nipple, rubbing his thumb over the top. Kagami couldn't deny it felt good. But he hated that it did. He hated that he was even responding.

"Don't blame yourself." He wasn't doing anything to dispel Kagami's not-so-secret belief that he could read minds. "I've seen a lot of bodies, especially omega ones. I know what to do to turn you on. It's a natural response." It was delivered so confidently that Kagami was inclined to believe that was all there was to it. But then again, it was Aomine. Thus there was no real reason to trust him.

"Just finish getting off then get off me." Aomine barked out a laugh.

"What makes you think I'm trying to get off?"

"I can…I can smell you…" And feel you…

"Already? Well, you do have a stronger impact on me than most, I'll give you that. But contrary to popular belief sweetheart, I'm not 'getting off'. Although, we can do that later if you want-"

"Not fucking likely." He laughed again but didn't respond.

Both their scents were stronger but Aomine made a slightly displeased noise in his throat.

"Still not good enough." He moved his face away from the redhead's neck finally. "I'm moving down. Try not to cut my throat out while I'm not looking. My mom would be pissed off if you killed me at home." Kagami was still trying to determine what Aomine meant by 'moving down' when he felt something hot and wet against his right nipple.

His back arched immediately but Aomine held him down warningly.

"Fuck, you're so responsive. Or are you just really sensitive here…?" He fondled the now-wet nipple with his fingers, eyes darkening again as Kagami twisted, trying to ignore the touch and his breath came rougher. "A bit of both, huh?"

He latched onto his left nipple as his fingers continued to torment his right and Kagami dug his hands into the mattress, trying not to tear it with his rapidly-extending claws.

A part of his head wondered if all alphas were this good with their mouths or if it was just Aomine. Kagami banished it immediately, gasping as Aomine nipped at the reddened bud before leaning back to admire his handiwork.

Kagami shied away from the scalding gaze, too proud to cover himself up but not enough to meet his searching look directly.

"Might have said this before…" he murmured, voice thick, "but I cannot wait to own you."

Because evidently fucking him just didn't cut it anymore.

"Good fucking luck with that," Kagami hissed and his words seemed to snap Aomine out of his trance.

"I doubt that, but we'll see." He sniffed the air and smiled. "This will do just fine." His hand tightened in Kagami's hair once more and turned his head forcefully to the side, exposing it fully.

"Beautiful." He said it to himself, but he was fairly certain Kagami heard. The tensing of his body was a giveaway.

He leaned down and brought his lips to Kagami's neck, making a painless incision directly above his scent gland with a careful move of his razor-sharp teeth then pressed his own neck to Kagami's and started rubbing slowly, almost tenderly. Finally, the penny dropped.

"S-Scent-marking?"

"Bingo." Aomine continued what he was doing, sniffing the air every minute or so and rumbling in approval as Kagami's scent began to be masked. "Should've done it earlier but I underestimated your scent. And the fact that Satsuki's got a couple loose."

And you're missing the whole hardware store.

The fact that the man he despised was performing such an intimate act on him had done a number on his brain, making him submissive which enabled Aomine to manoeuvre his body as he wished without much protest. He licked at the cut he'd made to speed up the healing process, then turned his head the other way before repeating his earlier actions and Kagami's scent was gradually swamped.

He sniffed his neck once again…twice. Then moved back. Kagami scrabbled to put space between them but Aomine didn't seem to take offence to it.

"Can't believe it's still there but it is. What the heck do you eat to make your scent that strong?"

"Nothing that you don't."

"Maybe it's because you eat so much. I should ration-" The word sparked genuine fear in the ruby red eyes looking back at him and he shook his head. "God you're a pain to look after."

"Then let me go." Aomine looked impassively at him.

"I would say nice try but…that was pretty shit." Kagami sighed. Aomine picked up the clothes he'd left on the bed and tossed them at him.

"Put these on. They might be a little tight-"

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?" Aomine didn't even bother denying it.

"Duh. What red-blooded alpha wouldn't?" Kagami held the clothes to him. "I would've gotten you pants but…they want us down for lunch in a few minutes…" The rest was unspoken but crystal clear. Kagami quickly donned the shirt and as predicted, it was tight. His softening nipples strained against the fabric and caught Aomine's forever-roving eye.

"You know," he said conversationally, "I really like those. I'm going to play with them after lunch."

"Because my body is one giant toy store to you, am I right?" He shrugged.

"Pretty much. They're cute." Kagami didn't want to further any more talk about his nipples and pulled the sweatshirt over his head. Thankfully, it was larger, but still smaller than Kagami would have preferred.

"Can I-!" Aomine pushed him down, latching onto his scent gland and sucking on it.

"Add fucking you in my old clothes to the list of things I'm going to do you."

"There's…a list…" he rasped. Aomine chuckled, hot puffs of air caressing the wetness on Kagami's neck.

"You better believe it."

* * *

When they reached the dining room, the other three people in the house were just getting seated. The clock was a few minutes shy of half-past one.

"Where have you two been?" Seira asked before delicately sniffing the air and smiling knowingly at Kagami.

"I-It i-isn't like that-"

"He's lying. It is." Kagami stepped on his foot, grinding his heel in but Aomine seemed unbothered. However, as they walked to their seats, he felt a hand squeeze his ass tightly.

"You'll pay for that later," he whispered dangerously and suddenly, the action didn't seem at all clever in hindsight.

"I want to be mad at you for hiding Kagamin's scent," Momoi started, "but he looks so cute that I just can't!"

"Kaga…Kagamin?"

"What did I say?" Aomine brought a finger to his temple, drawing loose circles. "She's nuts-"

"Am not!"

"Don't be nasty, Daiki." Seira admonished before cocking an ear and smiling slightly. Her eyes, however, twinkled.

"Just one moment." She got up and left the room, heading back to the hallway.

"Father is probably home. Perfectly punctual as always."

"Why can't you be like that, Dai-chan?"

"Shut it, Satsuki. I made it, didn't I?" Kagami watched them bicker but then froze as he caught wind of the most stifling aura he'd ever experienced in his life.

Whilst Akashi had taken his physical appearance and often mild manner from his mother, the underlying, threatening aura Kagami had felt undercurrents of whilst in their den undeniably came from his father.

Akashi's father was an imposing-looking man, of incredible height and stature with a well-groomed mane of thick red hair, that differed in shade to Akashi and his mother's. It was darker, closer to brown. The eyes however, were amber. Not gold like Kise's.

But amber.

Kagami hadn't seen anything like him before. And his aura was a whole different story. It made sense now why the Miracles appeared to have such a tight rein on things. With men like him behind the scenes, any clan would be foolish to challenge them. This man was born to lead; to dominate. The raw 'alpha' that oozed from him wouldn't allow anyone to think otherwise. Kagami felt sorry for anyone unlucky enough to cross him.

"Hello Father."

"Hello Papa." He said nothing but nodded to them in turn. Seira stepped forward, bowing her head slightly.

"Welcome home." The man raised a hand and Kagami held his breath, fearing for a second that he would hit her. But he instead brought the huge appendage to gently cradle her face. She leaned into the touch and Aomine rolled his eyes.

"Parental PDA…I think I'm going to be sick-"

"Won't you greet me, Daiki?"

"Welcome back." It was all Aomine offered but his father took it. Then his eyes shifted to Kagami.

"You've brought an omega home. Why?" There was no particular aggression to the voice -or nothing that hadn't been there already- but Kagami still felt the need to bow his head slightly, avoiding eye-contact. He never did that, impulsively or otherwise, but something about the man sitting at the other end of the table commanded it.

"He is…special…" Akashi spoke up next to his father and the alpha scrutinised Kagami a moment more before nodding. That was the last time Kagami would be addressed in anyway by the other man for the duration of his visit.

The change in Seira's behaviour was slight, but not so slight that it was unnoticeable. Especially to a fellow omega. Kagami watched as her actions slowly became focused around her alpha: accommodating him, doing things to ensure his satisfaction, his pleasure. And whilst it was clear that Akashi-san was not an expressive man, Kagami did notice a few small details that indicated his fondness for Seira.

Considering his overpowering presence, he was surprisingly fair towards her: filling up her water glass whenever it was running low without her needing to ask, getting the dishes she wanted on the table just by watching where she looked. Small things that were hard to pick up on, especially as Kagami never saw him actively looking at her. But it proved he was extremely attentive, down to the letter. And she glowed with happiness whenever he did so.

At first, Kagami had wondered how they had been together so long and still remained civil, but the more he watched them, the more he realised that they were a pretty indestructible unit. And whatever affection they had when they first got together was still going strong. It might have even grown.

Kagami didn't want it.

He didn't want to have to live for another person.

It sounded selfish even to his own ears but it was true. He didn't want to have to mould himself around another being; to cater to them constantly and out of his own accord? It sounded like complete madness to him. Not to any alpha, and much less one like Aomine.

"Satsuki. I'd like to discuss business." The table had been cleared by a team of maids in a matter of seconds, leaving only their water glasses. There was a beat of silence before he felt Aomine tugging him up.

"Let's go," he urged him.

"Daiki, I want to speak to you later."

"Yeah, yeah, sure." He spanked Kagami on the butt and the redhead glared at him, face flaming. "Up. Quickly."

His parents watched the two of them disappear. Seira rested her head on his gigantic bicep, listening to him before nodding.

"I know," she murmured. "I noticed it too…"

She didn't say anything further. The message had been conveyed.

* * *

"Looks like you have a couple questions." Aomine locked the door behind him and tumbled onto the bed. "But first…" He inhaled deeply. "You've started to smell again."

Kagami was about to tell him to go fuck himself when he realised he was talking about his scent.

"So either we can scent mark again-"

"Go fuck yourself."

"I figured you'd say that. Or you can take a shower then come back." Kagami started heading over to one of the doors but heard Aomine chuckle.

"Unless you plan on showering with plaid and track pants, you're at the wrong door." Kagami huffed with a blush and went to the next door down, revealing an en-suite bathroom. "Use whatever," he yawned behind his back, lying down and closing his eyes. Kagami saw this as an opportune moment to bring up the suppressants. Not his secret supply from Kuroko obviously, but the ones Aomine's mother had given him.

"What about the tablets?"

"What tablets?" he mumbled, eyes still closed.

"The tablets for blocking my scent."

Both eyes snapped open and fixed themselves on Kagami.

"No. I don't want you using that crap. Not while I'm here."

"But-"

"You do know what 'no' means right? Nod if you understand." Kagami refused to, Aomine's patronising tone grating on him. The other man was up in a flash.

"I'll take the time to explain it then." He grabbed Kagami's chin, forcing him to keep eye contact. "While I am here, you will not need them. With me so far?" Kagami gritted his teeth.

"Yes."

"Good. Your scent is strong. I get it. But my scent on you will be more than enough to stop any…competition from trying to muscle in on what's mine. Still with me?"

"…"

"Ka-ga-mi…" he sang, punctuating each syllable with a tap on his full lips.

"Yes."

"Yes you're here, or yes you understand?"

"Both," he growled.

"Very good. And finally, I don't trust those things. Fuck knows what's in 'em. You say they're just scent blockers but before I know it, you're stopping your heats." Kagami tried not to let the words affect him. That was exactly what he'd been planning.

"Fine."

"See? Wasn't so hard was it?" He let him go and went back to the bed, sprawling out and closing his eyes again. "Oh and hurry up. I want to sleep."

Kagami entered the bathroom and locked the door securely behind him, exhaling. This day seemed to be following the trend of the others in this past week: far too out of the ordinary…his ordinary.

He showered quickly, using whatever soap came to hand, as the knowledge of being in Aomine's private shower didn't do wonders for his psyche.

He wrapped himself up in a robe hanging on the side of the room then rummaged in the pockets for the pills Seira had given him. Aomine's warning still loomed but no matter what way he looked at it, it was a foolish move not to use them. Aomine had displayed his lack of restraint many times before and Kagami wasn't about to put his faith in it. Besides, at least for today, he could take them and because Aomine's scent was masking his, the bluenette would assume that it was because his scent was so strong that he couldn't smell Kagami, and not because of any pills.

He popped one before he could chicken out and swallowed it, chasing it down with a few handfuls of water from the sink. It was then that he realised he had no change of clothes and that he needed to find somewhere to hide Kuroko's pills. Somewhere that Aomine wouldn't find them.

He knocked on the door between them and waited.

Nothing.

He knocked again.

"Hmmm? What is it now?" Aomine's voice sounded groggy.

"I need more clothes." He heard a heavy sigh.

"I'm too tired. You come out and look for something."

"But I don't have any clothes now."

"Even better." Kagami rolled his eyes then pulled the robe tighter around him, knotting it firmly. The walk-in was next door. He'd be out then in in no time at all.

Transferring his pills to the pockets of the robe in case Aomine took the clothes away, he opened the door and bolted to the next room, entering the walk-in wardrobe. His first port of call was to find something to wear and then hide both sets of medication.

He searched through the countless drawers and cupboards until he found an oversized sweatshirt and loose track pants. No underwear.

It will have to do for now.

He put them on then took Kuroko's pills out first, hiding them in the drawer he'd just taken the bottoms from. In a flash of inspiration, he decided to hide Seira's scent blockers elsewhere, just in case Kuroko's were discovered. Better to lose just one than both. He had just found a good hiding place when he felt a presence behind him and froze.

"Kagami…? What you got there?" The redhead closed his eyes, fighting to keep his voice and heart rate as steady as possible.

"I thought you were tired."

"Well I was lucky enough to get a sudden burst of energy!" He laughed shortly. "Now answer my question."

"I was just checking for underwear-"

"You know what it smells like in here?" Aomine's voice was closer now, and Kagami started to sweat.

"…"

"It should smell like you…at least a little bit. Especially now that you're starting to sweat." Kagami said nothing. "But you know what it does smell like?"

"What…?" he choked out.

"Bullshit." Aomine whispered in his ear, ripping the packet from his hand. "Always up to no good, Kagami…tut…tut." Kagami could sense the underlying fury and dipped his head slightly. Aomine grabbed a fistful of his hair, wrenching his head back.

"There's no point acting submissive now!" he hissed in his ear. "You've already disobeyed me! Go on. Deny it!" Kagami didn't dare to. He had no idea what Aomine would do. His flash of inspiration earlier now seemed like a reckless act of foolishness.

"I-I'm…sorry…" The words burned the inside of his mouth, but right now, self-preservation was the most important thing. He could tend to his wounded pride later on.

"What was that? Didn't catch it." Kagami gritted his teeth.

"I said…I'm…sorry…" Aomine loosened his hold.

"Well, I wasn't expecting you to cave so soon! I don't know whether to feel disappointed or impressed." He smiled darkly but of course, Kagami couldn't see it. "Ask me again in ten minutes."

Kagami felt a hard kick to the back of his knees and they buckled, bringing him to the ground. He put his hands out to steady himself, Aomine's hand tightening once more in his thick hair.

"Do you remember what I said earlier?"

"When?" Kagami asked, tired and completely defeated.

"When you first asked about the pills. My final point." Kagami racked his brains. He'd heard him but he hadn't really been listening. He'd been too tense and too dismayed that his plans were unravelling right in front of him.

"You…you said…your scent would be enough-"

"After that."

"You…said…-"

"You don't remember, do you?" Kagami kept silent. "Or actually, you didn't give a fuck about what I was saying. You were too busy scheming." His voice grew harder by the second. "Did I ever mention I hate schemers? Schemers...and disobedientomegas." He tugged Kagami's head roughly upwards, straining his neck. "And guess what you are, sweetheart?" Kagami was scared of the look in Aomine's eyes. He couldn't deny it. It was dark, deranged almost.

But then he blinked and the mask was up again. He seemed calmer.

Seemed…

"I said…" he exhaled, stepping in front of Kagami, "that you have no idea what you're putting inside you when you take those things. They're filled with all kinds of crap. You could be killing yourself, pill by pill."

Kagami couldn't help but see the irony that that this was coming from someone who'd had no qualms drugging him earlier. But as always, Aomine was a walking contradiction.

"We're going to have to clean out your system." Kagami stiffened, feeling a painful prickle of fright along his spine. "But as we're home, and my mom hates when I fuck omegas here, your ass is safe." He smiled but it was nowhere close to reaching his cold, unflinching eyes. "Besides, it makes sense to go for your mouth, no? I mean…that is where you took the pills." He grabbed his jaw, prising his mouth open with brute force. "This filthy mouth…the same mouth that lied to my face…" He closed his eyes briefly, inhaling deeply then exhaling.

He aligned Kagami's mouth with his crotch then took his hand, bringing it to the waistband of his slacks.

"You said you were sorry before but it sounded insincere." He pouted a bit before smirking. "Show me what a genuineapology looks like."


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER:10

Kagami had been lucky enough to have a good education.

An excellent education.

Not that he'd taken to it well, but that was besides the point.

Kagami had studied science and he was aware of the biological differences between humans and wolves, as well as the differences between first and second genders. He knew what alphas were supposed to look like naked, as he did betas and omegas. He knew how sex worked, at least on a textbook basis, between every gender combination there was. He'd donetests on it-and had failed pretty badly but again, that was besides the point.

So he knew that scientifically…

Aomine was a complete monster.

In every sense of the word.

Kagami couldn't look at the giant erection in front of him. Everything about the situation revolted and terrified him. He would've given anything to be somewhere else at this moment in time. Had he died of a sudden heart attack at that very minute, he would've been eternally grateful.

But he knew better than anyone that there was no chance of that happening.

...

"I know you're a newbie so I'll coach you. Be grateful, I don't offer to tutor most people. Normally, if you suck I'll just snap your neck and move on to the next one." He tilted Kagami's head up and Kagami heard the silent order to look at him. Aomine's eyes were almost kind and that scared Kagami more than anything else he'd seen that day.

"But I like you, so I'm going to show you the ropes." He smirked. "Once you know what to do, you'll start enjoying it in no time. With a mouth this big…you're basically born to do it."

Kagami flinched as Aomine's finger came up to trace his lips.

"Open up, sweetheart." Kagami did as he was told, looking anywhere but at Aomine's enormous length. "And don't try anything funny. I guarantee it wouldn't take me long to kill you, and it would probably be a cleaner job than this will be." He laughed. "Actually, you might want to strip. It tends to get pretty messy with novices. Especially reluctant ones."

The 'might' meant nothing. He knew it was an order.

As he stripped, he wondered once again where it had all gone wrong. He had been so close but now…now he was facing the unthinkable to a Kagami three-weeks prior.

Naked, he resumed his position, guided into place by Aomine. His eyes burned scorching trails over his body, settling on the limp member between his legs.

"That will change in no time," he commented, more to himself than to Kagami.

Aomine's hand fisted around his own engorged member and guided it to Kagami's open mouth.

"You might want to get accustomed to the taste-or actually, you're not one of those idiots who says they're a virgin but they've done everything but fuck." Kagami shot him a nasty look but didn't say anything. Aomine laughed. "I didn't think so." He pushed the mushroomed tip gently past his lips, into the hot, moist cavern of his mouth with a groan.

"God, I can already tell you're going to be a natural, sweetheart." Kagami stayed silent, struggling to deal with the foreign feeling of something this big in his mouth. Something that had no business being there.

"Just get used to it. Take your time. I could wait here all day…" He pumped his thick length then groaned again. "Well, maybe not all day…" He waited another minute or so before pushing himself deeper into Kagami's mouth.

"I want to see how far I can get so I can see what I'm working with." He kept going and Kagami tried to relax his throat, fighting the urge to throw up. He scrunched his eyes up, breathing harshly through his nose as Aomine pushed deeper still, moaning quietly in approval.

"What did I tell you? A natural. Five inches and still going. That's more than most people get with me on their first few tries." Kagami chanced a look at his dick and regretted it immediately. Aomine was claiming five inches but it sure as hell didn't look like anything worth taking note of. To Kagami, it looked like it would never end.

The thought of it going anywhere near his ass…he couldn't think about it now. Hopefully ever. Aomine would scar him for life.

That was, if he hadn't already.

"So good!" he crooned. "I-ah-was gonna be pretty rough with you-just discipline, you know how it...is. But fuck, you're at six and your mouth…" His hips bucked and Kagami gagged, clutching the thick carpet in panic as the urge to vomit became overpowering.

"I'm-fuck!" He groaned, holding Kagami's hair even tighter and fucking his mouth gently. Kagami's eyes stung as he was assaulted but he fought the feeling to throw up. Aomine would kill him. No doubt about it.

"Ahhhh, God! Get ready…" That was all the preparation he got. The only warning before his mouth was absolutely flooded with Aomine's essence.

It was never-ending.

"Swallow it. All of it." Kagami had to. It was either that or choke to death. And Aomine kept going, riding out his orgasm as he thrust shallowly into his mouth. Cum and saliva started trickling out of the corners of his mouth as he fought against the waves of semen that Aomine was still ejaculating.

Kagami genuinely thought he was going to die. And he could imagine a more humiliating way to go.

Tears now trickled out of his eyes as the flow started to slow and eventually stopped. He withdrew his thick appendage, wiping it with Kagami's discarded tracksuit bottoms before tucking himself back in with a disbelieving look at Kagami.

"Well you have a hidden talent!" Kagami choked, coughing up some of the liquid in his mouth into his hand, the other still on the floor to steady him. "And I haven't even started training you yet." He turned as he heard a knock at his door before turning back to the omega on the floor.

"Rest assured sweetheart, you're going to have to wait a while before I let you go."

* * *

"What is it, Satsuki?"

"Papa wants you."

"When doesn't he?" Aomine groaned. Momoi sniffed the air delicately then tried to peek round him, into the room.

"Oh no you don't." He slammed the door shut, pulling out a key to lock it from the outside. "Stay away from him."

"I'm not going to do anything, Dai-chan. Besides…it smells like you already have…" Aomine shrugged.

"What can I say? With an omega like that I'd be crazy not to."

"Don't make Papa wait," she said, changing the topic swiftly.

"Where is he?"

"Where else?"

Aomine sauntered down the stairs and Momoi went to her room.

Five minutes later, when the coast was clear, she crept out again, armed with her lock-picking kit.

"Don't you worry Kagamin! I'll get you out!" she whispered under her breath, getting to work immediately. She fiddled with the lock in the doorknob for a while, twisting it this way and that before it finally gave way. She looked to the stairway, scanning the area before entering the room stealthily.

She was hit by the smell of Aomine and the sound of someone retching and her heart constricted painfully. Approaching the bathroom carefully, she poked her head tentatively round the door and nearly cried at the pitiful image Kagami made, curled up next to the toilet in Aomine's old track pants, one shaky hand on the rim of the bowl as he vomited his guts out.

She watched him quietly before advancing slowly, trying her best not to surprise him. The fact that he hadn't sensed her already was an indication that what Aomine had done had really messed with him and she felt a flash of intense irritation towards the other wolf.

When she was close enough, she inhaled quietly and reach out a hand.

"Ka-!"

He flew backwards, claws and teeth extended, eyes slightly reddened.

She had been fast enough to see him lash out but not to move out of the way entirely, and she had been caught by his nails, the blood welling up in the thin gashes and steadily trickling down her arm. She hardly felt it.

"Kagamin?" He just looked at her, almost impassively but the hostility was definitely there. "Kagamin…what did Dai-chan do?" He turned away, saying nothing but one of his legs shook almost uncontrollably.

The idiot…

"Kagamin…I'm not here to hurt you. I want to help you. But we need to get out of here before Dai-chan gets back." Kagami didn't make any move towards her and she didn't really blame him. She had done nothing to earn his trust. Quite the opposite. She felt ashamed of her actions, which wasn't common.

"Kagamin, I swear I won't hurt you. I just want to get you out of this room. It isn't good for you to be here. But I won't touch you like…like that. I promise you I won't." She extended her hand again and waited, hoping he'd agree. She really didn't want him around Aomine just yet. He'd clearly been shocked badly and the alpha in her couldn't turn away from a distressed omega. Especially one like Kagami.

"Please?" He still hadn't moved and she debated calling her mother or Akashi for help but then it would likely get back to Aomine and he would be furious. But she was willing to face his wrath.

She turned around and left the bathroom.

"Where…" He started coughing but at the sound of his broken voice, she hurried back, getting on her knees beside him and not minding when he flinched. It was to be expected.

"What was that Kagamin?!" He winced and she realised she was coming on a bit strong and forced herself to reign herself in a bit. But inside, she was thrilled that he had responded at all. He had put some of his trust in her and she'd do everything to prove he had made the right choice in doing so.

"Where are...?"

"Just to my room. It isn't far at all. But it would be safer for you in there. I would give you your own but if Dai-chan comes back, I wouldn't be able to protect you as well." Kagami didn't respond and she worried that she had lost him but then he nodded slowly.

"Really?!" He backed off slightly and she apologised. "Sorry! But…really?" He nodded once more and she beamed.

"I'll look after you Kagamin. I promise." The hostility was now gone, and Momoi took the chance to lean down and help him up. If Kagami was surprised by her strength, he didn't show it. His eyes were slightly glazed and Momoi reckoned that the sooner she got him away from the area the better.

"C'mon Kagamin. Before Dai-chan comes back." She pulled his arm over her shoulder and helped him out of Aomine's room and down the corridor to her own room. Once there, she locked the door, exhaling loudly.

"We made it! We made it..." He just stood there, looking vacant and her heart twisted again.

"Okay…let me…let me run you a bath first. I have some oils that should help calm you down." She peered cautiously up at him. "Is that okay?" He nodded eventually and she smiled, guiding him to the bed.

"Sit here and don't worry. I'll sort out everything, okay?" He nodded again and she brought a hand up, stroking the side of his face. He flinched at first then didn't respond at all. It broke her heart.

"I'm sorry Kagamin. I'm sorry it happened."

She disappeared into the bathroom and Kagami heard her pottering about, running water and opening sweet-smelling bottles. Eventually, he reappeared in a cloud of steam.

"It's done, Kagamin. Come when you're ready."

He got up, walking towards the bathroom but stopped at the door.

She could be tricking him. She could have been playing with him the entire time, just waiting to catch him off guard. For all he knew, Aomine was in on it too. He might be waiting outside, waiting for Kagami to enter the bathroom and then they'd both do the same to him as before…or worse.

He knew Momoi was incredibly fast. Faster than him. But he doubted she was as strong. He would have to rely on his strength if things went wrong. But he was in their territory. If he attacked her, even out of self-defence…with that beast of a father downstairs, he would be signing his own death warrant.

But to let himself be defiled like that again, and so soon. He didn't know how he'd handle it. He didn't know if he could.

He braced himself and walked in past the steam…

And what he saw made him stop in his tracks.

Momoi stood facing the door with her eyes tightly shut, twiddling her thumbs anxiously as she waited for him to come in. The steam had dampened her bangs, the wisps of cotton-candy hair at her hairline forming darker, flattened curls and her cheeks were a healthy shade of pink.

"I'm not looking Kagamin…I promise…"

She hadn't ever been a threat.

Momoi heard the sound of fabric falling to the floor and then the slosh of water as Kagami submerged himself into the bubbly, fragrant water.

"You…you can open your eyes now." Momoi smiled, opening them to see his red head of hair poking out of the tub before the rest of his head appeared, now wet. She walked over to him, sitting on the stool by the bath.

"Do you feel any better?"

"Yeah…" he cleared his throat roughly and she got up. "Let me get you something to drink for when you're done. Would you like something hot or cold?"

"Uh…hot?"

"Hot would be better," she nodded in agreement. "It would soothe your throat after…" she trailed off awkwardly, cursing herself for bringing it up but he smiled weakly.

"You're right. It would." Her heart thumped and she left the room quickly then turned back.

"Kagamin, I'm going to lock the door. Don't let anyone in unless it's me, okay?"

"Sure."

"I'll be back before you know it." She locked it quickly, hurrying out of the room and downstairs to the kitchen. She met her mother on the way up who took in her appearance and raised a shapely eyebrow.

"It's not what you think Mama! I'm taking care of Kagamin! He…" She averted her eyes and said nothing more. Her mother inferred what she could and nodded.

"Don't worry. I think Daiki's about to leave soon."

"He is?"

"Apparently, there's unfinished business that he and Seijuro need to sort out. Some kind of deal. I didn't get the details." The words filled Momoi with relief. Perhaps Aomine would leave without even finding out. It was unlikely, but she held onto the hope regardless.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks Mama." She pecked her on the cheek then went down to the kitchen to sort something out for Kagami with the maids.

Momoi was as talentless as could be when it came to the kitchen but she had wanted to help make the drinks herself. However, after several failed attempts, the cook decided to take over, telling her that her effort was appreciated but they would do the rest and bring the drinks up.

"Thank you!" Momoi beamed then flitted out of the kitchen, rushing back towards the stairs. She didn't want to leave Kagami alone for too long. He needed someone by him right now.

* * *

Momoi was renowned for her speed but those closest to her knew that the faster she moved, the more her awareness fell. That's why she was most suited for surprise attacks and not carefully formulated plans that required both speed and stealth as she lost her sense of perception at higher speeds. That's why she was unable to detect Aomine's presence until it was far too late.

He grabbed her injured arm as she shot past his room, making her yelp in pain and quickly covered her mouth with his free hand, dragging her in and slamming the door behind him.

"Where is he, Satsuki?"

"I don't-"

"WHERE IS HE?" Aomine was the superior wolf. She knew this and wanted to cower, to show obedience. It was the expected action between two alphas, especially ones in conflict.

But her urge to care for Kagami was greater and she stood her ground.

"I'm looking after him." She jutted her chin out defiantly. "He needs me."

"Like fuck he does!"

"He does!"

"Oh and he told you this, did he?" She didn't want to land him in hot water so she turned her head.

"He didn't have to-"

"Then STOP interfering! He's mine-"

"I'm not trying to take him away!" That wasn't entirely true and they both knew it but taking another alpha's omega was serious business, even alphas as close as they were. "But he needs care. You've hurt him-"

"He'll get over it-"

"And I'm there to make sure he does." Aomine said nothing, before pushing her away.

"If I find out you've done anything-"

"I won't. You can trust me." He looked at her levelly, still irritated, then stormed out of the room.

"He needs to be back by tomorrow evening. I'll call Tanaka to make sure he is."

"He will be, Dai-chan."

He left then, and Momoi heard the bang of the front door and finally relaxed. That had been close.

"Kagamin? I'm back." He turned towards her as she walked in. "They'll bring the drinks along later."

"Thanks…thanks Momoi." She practically glowed.

"That's okay Kagamin! Like I said, I want to help you." She sat back beside the bath and they stayed there in silence for a while before she spoke again.

"Do you-I mean, can I…could I wash your hair?" Kagami looked at her expectantly. "It's just that, I give really good head massages and-"

"If you want to…sure." He smiled encouragingly and she clambered up, leaning over him to get a bottle of shampoo. Kagami couldn't help but watch her and his eye was caught by the gentle sway of her breasts as she stretched, outlined by her damp shirt. He turned away quickly, colouring.

Momoi looked down and saw the colour on his cheeks.

"Is it too hot, Kagamin?"

"N-No…it's fine…"

"Good. But let me know if you want it turned down, okay?" He nodded, gaze still averted.

She squirted some of the thick liquid onto his hair then set the bottle down and rested her hands tentatively on his head before bending over him.

"I'm just going to wet your hair a bit before I get started, alright?"

He could feel the press of her chest against him and nodded quickly in order to get her to move back. She did so and he relaxed slightly, sighing quietly as she poured some of the hot bathwater onto his head from her cupped hands before proceeding to rub.

She hadn't lied. Her touch was magical and Kagami felt himself unravelling under her careful, clever, caring fingers. The slightly long nails scratched gentle circles into his scalp as the fingers pressed in, loosening him up even further. She swiped her hand quickly over his forehead, catching runaway trails of soap that had been heading towards his eyes before moving back to massage his head.

Her hands kept working, five minutes becoming ten, and ten, fifteen before she stopped.

"I'm going to dunk your head now. Just to get rid of the soap, okay?" He nodded, completely under her spell. She gently urged him down, rinsing the suds off quickly. The water was now filled with them.

"Should I run you a new one? This one's pretty soapy now. You can wait outside or…"

"It's…it's cool. Do your thing." He had given her yet more trust. Her heart stirred a little bit more.

"Okay…" she whispered, reaching inside for the bath plug and yanking it out. The water swirled down it, the level in the bath falling lower and lower. She kept her eyes firmly averted but the temptation to look at his godly body grew almost impossible to ignore.

"Same again?" she joked, her voice shaky.

"If that's cool…?"

"Of course it is silly!" She turned to smile at him and regretted the decision heavily, eyes finally taking in his glistening caramel skin, taut muscles-

"Sorry!" she squeaked, face flaming. She kept her eyes trained on the plug hole, waiting until all the water had drained out before rinsing the bathtub out and running the water again. As the tub filled, she got up to get the oil and bubble bath she had used before, using slightly smaller amounts than the first time around. She then wetted her fingers on the top of the bottle of oil and rounded the bath, dabbing the against his forehead.

"For the second part of my massage," she giggled.

"Woah, there's more?"

"You betcha!" She went to turn off the tap then positioned herself behind him, rubbing sure, steady circles into soft, smooth skin of his forehead, temples and the nape of his neck. Kagami's eyes drifted shut and he surrendered himself to her touch. Momoi worried he'd fallen asleep completely until she heard him moan quietly.

Whether he knew he'd done it or not didn't matter. The effect was the same.

Her clit throbbed almost painfully between her legs and she pressed them together, trying to ignore it. Her heart was hammering and she prayed he wouldn't do it again.

Her prayers went unanswered. He continued to make them and she began to struggle against the urge to claim. He was lying there, utterly defenceless. He wouldn't know until it was too late.

Far too late.

She couldn't.

"Ka-Kagamin? You should probably get out now before you prune up completely!" She laughed but it sounded forced, even to her. His eyes drifted open slowly, focusing in on where she once had been and where she now was. She had assumed the position she'd taken when he'd first come in except her hands were now balled into fists.

He sniffed the air silently and could detect a newer smell, just as sweet but slightly musky. It was delicious and he knew exactly what it was.

The gravity of the situation didn't miss him at all and he was moved by how far she was going for him.

"Sure," he said softly, rising from the bath.

"There are robes on the side and there's lotion in the room. I'll try and see what I can find in my wardrobe in a minute…I just want to have a quick bath, if that's alright with you. I won't be long."

"Thanks Momoi…take your time…"

His gentle voice told her he knew. He knew and he was fine with it. There were a few rustles, then the sound of the door opening and closing.

Momoi couldn't shed her clothes fast enough, bombarded with images, fantasies, of Kagami clinging desperately to the lip of the bathtub as she pleasured him, took him, made him cry and beg and scream…

Her clit throbbed for release and she was so soaked, she couldn't tell what was her doing and what was the bath's. She rubbed her swollen bud faster and faster, chasing her orgasm and it finally smashed into her. With a broken whimper of Kagami's name and his scent on her tongue, she came, collapsing into the bathwater and shuddering her way through the aftermath.

* * *

"Sorry about that Kagamin…"

"Don't wo-" His voice caught as he turned to her and turned away even faster.

She was naked.

Her long, wet hair was swept up and piled loosely on top of her head, exposing even more of her flawless alabaster skin. His face burned.

"Let me find you something to wear…"

Please…please do the same…

She padded over to her wardrobe, a woman on a mission, and pulled out a few articles of clothing, tutting quietly.

Kagami sat shell-shocked on the bed, trying to process what he'd just seen.

Or not process.

Eventually she came back with a strange dress-looking garment.

"This should definitely fit. It's supposed to be huge on me, so it will probably be pretty big on you, too." She handed it to him and turned away again, waiting for him to put it on. Once he had, she turned back, running approving, pink eyes over his now clothed form.

"So pretty…" she murmured.

"Same-ah-same to you…" She blushed prettily, then climbed onto the bed. Still naked.

"Thank you, Kagamin!"

"No…worries….uh, Momoi?"

"Hmm?"

"You wouldn't…mind…uh, putting something…-"

"Oh! Sorry!" She jumped nimbly off the bed, going back into the wardrobe and came out moments later in a thin, white top. Somehow, it made everything worse.

"That okay?" He sighed quietly.

"G-Great! Thanks..."

"Not a problem!" There was a knock on the door and Momoi went to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Your drinks, Momoi-chan!" She opened the door and let in the maid, who seemed completely unbothered by her employer's lack of attire.

"By the way, Madame says if you need any meals prepared to let her know."

"Oh Mama is too kind! Kagamin?"

"Uh-no! No, I'm good." He had been wondering if he'd ever be able to eat again.

"He's fine but we will let you know. Thank you!" She set the tray down on one of the bedroom tables, bowed with a smile then left the room. Momoi locked the door behind her.

"Would you like some, Kagamin?"

"Yeah, sure. What is it?"

"It's like this fruit juice-tea thing…it's amazing though!" She poured him a steaming mug of it and brought it over to him. "Try some."

He reached out for it, and was hit with a waft of fruit. What fruit exactly was beyond his knowledge at the current moment in time. But as he feared, it was quickly followed by a wave of nausea. He battled it down and took a tentative sip.

Wrong move.

Momoi was only just quick enough to grab a bucket before he regurgitated the liquid plus the little that still remained in his stomach. She stroked his head gently, letting him heave until he was done then took it to the bathroom, pouring the contents into the toilet and rinsing it out in the sink before returning to him.

"Sorry…" he whispered.

"Don't be silly. It's fine." She went over to the tray and poured him a small cup of warm water and a glass of icy water.

"It has peppermint and lemon in it. I figured if it was hot it might make you gag so you can rinse with the warm then drink some of the cold. Hopefully you'll be able to keep it down. I want to focus on keeping your water levels up before giving you anything to eat." He reached out for the warm and rinsed his mouth out as instructed, spitting into the basin before she put a straw in the cold and held it out for him as he sipped. He felt another slight wave and she backed off, waiting for it to settle before giving him a bit more.

"We'll leave it there for now, okay?" He nodded. "You can have some more later, once you're feeling a bit better."

"Thanks Momoi…you're too kind…" She waved a hand at him.

"I haven't done anything much and besides…it's not like my intentions were totally pure…"

"It's fine. And I'm serious. I don't think anyone's been this nice to me since this whole crazy thing happened. And I've met Kuroko and Tanaka…" She laughed and lay down beside him in the bed.

"You sure know how to make a girl feel good, Kagamin…" She smiled softly, reaching out to stroke his hair without thinking. Once she realised what she was doing, she hesitated but he didn't seem put off at all so she continued. "I just thought that after what Dai-chan did…" She left it there, letting him fill in the blanks. He sighed, settling down further.

"I honestly can't believe you two are related, let alone siblings…"

"Well, technically we're not." Kagami's eyebrows went up.

"Not what?"

"Siblings. We're cousins."

"Cousins?" She nodded, lying against him. He angled his body automatically to make her more comfortable whilst keeping close to her.

Then froze as he realised what he'd just done. She noticed straight away.

"Kagamin? Did I-"

"No! No, I-it's me, I…" He trailed off, not sure how to finish the sentence.

I'm just shocked I acted like an omega?

"If you're sure…" She gave him a worried look but he nodded earnestly so she relaxed. Which in turn relaxed him.

Oh God.

"S-So…you were saying?"

"Yeah, we're cousins." Kagami narrowed his eyes, thoroughly confused.

"Wait…but you have the same parents…" She giggled.

"We're both adopted. Couldn't you tell?" Kagami could tell that there were major differences between the two of them and Akashi but he hadn't thought that far out.

"Adopted? So you were part of a different family…?" She shook her head.

"Not even that. Different clan."

"Clan?"

"Uh huh…"

"So…why did you move clan?"

"'Moving' isn't really the right word for it…" She laughed but it was sad. Kagami picked up on this and put a tentative arm around her. She snuggled into him immediately.

"Then…or do you not want to talk about it…?"

"Mmm, no. I don't mind telling you…only because it's you…" She shot him a flirtatious look and he blushed. She pinched his cheek playfully but it turned into a caress. "They don't exist anymore. They were wiped out."

Kagami's mouth fell open.

"Or at least…if anyone still exists, we sure don't know about it. We were rogues, I guess."

"That's…so damn sad…"

"It is, isn't it?" She sighed. "Actually, Dai-chan's parents adopted me after my parents died but then something…" She exhaled in a rush. "Something happened…and Mama and Papa took us both in. And the rest is history, as they say."

Kagami didn't ask what the something was. It was evidently painful and he knew she didn't want to talk about it. She had already confided so much in him.

"So you're both part of this family but only you and…" he hesitated on Aomine's name but she picked up where he left off.

"Yup. Only Dai-chan and I are blood family." Kagami nodded. "Dai-chan…" she started. "He does stupid things; reckless things; cruel things…but believe me when I say he isn't all bad. He isn't really bad at all…he's just hurt…And I know that it doesn't justify anything he's done but…he's hurt Kagamin. I've tried to heal him but I can't. I don't know if anyone can. But he's the last tie I have to who we are. He's always been there, always looked out for me…I can't explain it but…" She faded away and Kagami nodded. He understood.

More than she knew.

"I get you. I get that you guys were raised differently. You think differently." He laughed but it was a bit hollow. "Actually, I guess I'm the one who's different-"

"You're special, Kagamin, special. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. There's something so pure about you…" She lowered her eyes. "I tried to keep away but your pull is too strong. I can see why Dai-chan doesn't want anyone else to touch you. I wouldn't." There was no mistaking the possessiveness in her voice but Kagami wasn't threatened by it.

If anything, there was a part of him, deep inside, that wanted it. Craved it.

He inhaled deeply, trying to clear his head.

* * *

"But Dai-chan was right about one thing…"

"He was? Didn't know that was possible…" She laughed, eyes twinkling.

"Trust me, it doesn't happen often…" Her gaze grew heavy…hot…Kagami found himself squirming slightly under it.

"Two things actually." Her voice was rougher. "Your scent is a big problem…and you're a very special wolf. Very special." Kagami's throat felt dry but he wasn't afraid. Not at all.

"Can you…can you help? With my scent?" Momoi's eyes searched his.

"Are you…" He nodded, colour rising in his cheeks.

"If Aomine finds out I've used the blockers again…he'll…" She stroked his face, humming in understanding.

"I know. But…you're sure?" He held his breath a second, then released it.

"Sure. I'm sure."

"Well…okay…" Momoi's hands shook slightly with excitement but she stamped it down. "I'll keep it PG, okay?" she joked and was relieved when she got a laugh, albeit one as shaky as her hands.

She rolled him onto his back and came up close beside him, hooking a leg over his. Kagami could feel the heat radiating from her taut yet supple body and the warmth of her slightly irregular breathing.

Her hand came back to stroke his jaw as she lifted her face and kissed his neck softly, reading his body for a reaction. Other than the small nod to continue, there was none.

She lowered her lips to his skin again, kissing deeper with a hint of tongue. She heard his gasp slightly and continued, with more fervour.

Kagami's scent started to become more noticeable so she kept going and slowly slid a hand down the front of his robe, heading straight for his nipple.

Cautious fingers squeezed it then withdrew.

"Am I going too far?" she breathed, marvelling at how gorgeous he looked. He traced his tongue over his dry lips, shaking his head.

"I-It's fine…" Her hand returned to play with his hard bud as she kissed a trail up to his face then back down. Something told her that his mouth was sacred, and she didn't want to breach Aomine's territory. But she did want to make the redhead feel good.

And she wanted him to know it.

"I want to make you mine…I do…I do…" Her words were hushed, almost hasty. Kagami moaned quietly like he had in the bath. "I love that noise…make more…for me…" He did so again and she sucked hard on one of his scent glands, getting hit by another wave of his sweetness. It was heady and intoxicating. She couldn't get enough.

"So beautiful…I wish you were mine…I'd take care of you. I promise I would…" She was entering dangerous territory. He wasn't hers to take. She knew that. But she couldn't stop.

Kagami felt her growing wetness on his leg and couldn't pretend that his body wasn't responding to her as well. But his fear of Aomine kept his arousal for overtaking him entirely. Not so for Momoi.

She ground her mound against him, the words spilling out as her scent filled the air alongside his.

"I'd care for you…I know I would…If you'd let me-"

Piercing sapphire.

It was all she could see.

And she realised.

"But he'll care for you more than me. More than I ever could. I know he will. He's good, Dai-chan is good…" It was a murmured chant, almost reverent. "He cares more than anyone…"

While his scent was still heavy, she nipped at his neck a little too sharply, drawing a bed of crimson that she quickly licked away before rubbing her own gland against his, talking all the while.

"He just needs healing. He's good, so caring, loving…don't give up on him…" His scent was gradually masked and she repeated the process on the other side, slowly calming down.

"I'm so sorry Kagamin…" she sighed. "I went too far-"

"You didn't. I…thanks Momoi." He leaned in slightly, then all the way and kissed her on the cheek, blushing like a schoolboy. She giggled.

"You're so cute it isn't right!"

* * *

They both woke up around the same time, sunlight streaming through her window. They'd slept for over twelve hours.

"Best. Sleep. Ever." She rolled off him and out of bed, pushing her hair out of her face with a content sigh. "Are you hungry yet?" Kagami shook his head.

"My stomach still feels weird. Maybe I should wait until I get back…"

"You're right. Anyway, feel free to freshen up. I'm going to go find something to nibble on and then we can take you back." She grabbed the robe he'd used yesterday then exited the room in search of nourishment.

Kagami lay on the bed a while longer, just thinking about the day before, then got up.

He had never been one to dwell on the past and he wasn't about to start now.

After Momoi had eaten and they had both gotten ready, she walked him downstairs to where another car was waiting besides Aomine's.

"The driver can take back Dai-chan's. We'll ride in the other one."

Seira went out to see them off, handing Kagami a care package.

"It should have everything you need in there." He smiled gratefully.

"Thanks so much, Seira-san." She kissed him on the cheeks.

"I really hope you come back to visit us soon. It's been lovely having you here. Hopefully you and I will get to talk more next time." She beamed at him and he smiled back.

"I'd really like that." And he would.

He climbed into the passenger's seat, then got up after noticing he'd just sat on something.

A blindfold.

Momoi climbed into the driver's seat and saw him staring at it in confusion.

"Oh, you need to wear that Kagamin. It's to make sure you don't see the way here. Not that I don't trust you but if someone ended up taking advantage of you to find out where we lived…it would be a big problem for the clan…"

Suddenly, the pieces of the puzzle clicked together.

"So that's why he drugged me…"

"He drugged you? Dai-chan?" Kagami nodded. "What was wrong with a blindfold? Honestly, he's such an idiot sometimes…"

"Sometimes?" They exchanged a look and laughed before Kagami slid on the blindfold and Momoi helped him tie it tightly.

"Hold on…your hair's gotten a bit caught…" Kagami thought he heard a small snip but then she moved away.

"All done! Seatbelt on and then we can get going!" He did as instructed and then they were off.

Momoi started off the journey by playing some music but eventually turned it down so they could talk. They spoke about everything. Momoi more than him but that was because she was a chattier person. Kagami liked that about her.

He found out that she was part of the Miracles' pack but she was the face of all their legal activity. Handling all their businesses and all the formalities that came with the Akashi name. Hence why she hadn't been in the den when he first arrived.

From what Kagami understood, she didn't like most of what they got up to but she in no way put herself on higher moral ground than the rest of them.

"We're all cut from the same cloth, I guess…they're just more open with it."

Kagami highly doubted it. Momoi was a completely beautiful person, inside and out.

* * *

They got back to Aomine's mansion by around four. Momoi took off his blindfold to reveal Tanaka waiting for him outside.

"Kagami-san. I'm glad you've arrived safely."

"Thanks Tanaka!"

"I would have gotten Marisa to prepare your supper but from what I understand, you're not feeling well." He and Momoi exchanged a look and she nodded.

"Still sick, I think. Maybe a hot drink then bed if he can keep it down but I reckon he'll be eating the house down before tomorrow lunchtime."

Kagami coloured. Even though he felt he'd held back at lunch two days before, his habits hadn't gone unnoticed.

Tanaka nodded and walked towards the house, leaving the two of them in the car.

"Momoi…thanks so much for everything. I'll never forget how you helped me out-"

"Kagamin, whenever you need a hand, just call."

"I don't have a phone." She rolled her eyes skyward.

"Dai-chan's an idiot. He really is." She shook her head. "I'll get Tetsu-kun to bring you one tomorrow afternoon, okay? Then you call me and let me know how you're feeling." Kagami nodded gratefully.

"I will." He leaned forward and brushed his lips against her cheek. "Thanks again."

"Anytime Kagamin." He stepped out of the car and walked towards the house, turning back to wave at her once before stepping inside.

She watched him go with a smile but it was bittersweet. She had cherished the time they'd shared but knew that that would probably be the last time it would ever happen. And as much as she loved him, she couldn't help but worry about Kagami's safety at Aomine's hands. Because she knew better than anyone that nothing with him was ever certain.

It was only as she started to drive away that she finally noticed something. Or rather the lack of something.

Her wounds from the day before were completely gone. As though they'd never been there in the first place.

...

Kagami fell asleep again as soon as his head hit the pillow, mind filled with thoughts of pink and smells of everything sweet.

* * *

He awoke feeling ravenous, appetite having fully recovered and after brushing his teeth, he made a beeline to the kitchen to root around for whatever he could find.

"And good morning to you too!" Marisa laughed. He spun around, mouth full and ducked his head, almost embarrassed but not quite.

"Morning Mari-chan!" His voice was muffled and she smirked.

"Oh it's Mari-chan now isn't it?" She pinched his stuffed cheek. "Charmer. What do you want then?"

"Whatever's going!"

"A banquet it is then! But if you want to eat big, you're going to have to help out!" she joked.

"Cool! What should I help with?"

"I was joking, chick. Sit down over there and I'll get your food."

"No, it's fine! I want to help!" Marisa smiled fondly at him, highly doubting his ability to do more than boil eggs or make toast.

"If you insist…you can boil me some water." Kagami did so obediently as she started getting things out of the larder. By the time she had returned, the water was boiled with not a spillage in sight.

"I'm impressed!"

"It was water…" Kagami waited expectantly.

"Oh, okay then…I was thinking omelettes so maybe…" She hummed thoughtfully. "Whisk the eggs?" She could stop him after a couple if things went pear-shaped.

"On it!" He got two bowls from one of the cupboards, one glass, one plastic, and began cracking the eggs, separating the whites from the yolks and dropping the pale, viscous fluid into the glass bowl. She was watching out of the corner of her eye, seeing but not quite believing.

"What are you doing, Kagami?"

"Separating the yolks from the whites…or do you not like your omelettes really light? Because I know some people don't…" Marisa beamed widely.

"You just get better and better!"

...

He came in as Kagami was mincing onions. Marisa's back was turned as she boiled milk on the stove.

The scent was all wrong.

All wrong.

"Kagami, could you pass me the strainer?" She waited. "Kagami?"

She turned around with the saucepan of hot milk in her hands and dropped it with an ear-splitting scream as she saw the blood, dripping down his neck.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER: 11

"GET OFF HIM! GET OFF HIM!" she screamed, terrified but hurled the pan to the floor and ran over to try and break the two men apart.

Tanaka had come running at sound of Marisa's first scream and now stared, horrified, at the sight before him. Luckily, his instincts kicked in almost automatically and he rushed to intervene.

"AOMINE-SAMA! You MUST let go, he's losing too much blood! You'll kill him!" Kagami's struggles were becoming increasingly weak as more blood poured from the wound in his neck. Aomine's hold didn't seem to be loosening, and Tanaka and Marisa's efforts seemed to be having little to no effect on the powerful alpha. The redhead's eyes drifted shut and his body went limp as Aomine's jaws tightened and Marisa screamed louder than she ever had before.

"AOMINE-SAMA STOP!-"

Aomine stiffened suddenly before he started to keel forward, unconscious. He would've fallen, Kagami in tow, had Tanaka not pushed his whole weight against him to keep the two of them upright.

"M-Marisa-please, get-OH!" Marisa was beaten to it by a notably paler Kuroko. The alpha wasted no time disentangling Kagami from Aomine's lax hold and laying him out on the kitchen floor. Blood still leaked from the punctures in his neck and though Kuroko had seen much worse, he winced.

"Kuroko-sama-"

"Please, Tanaka-san. Get me a first aid kit. As soon as possible." There was a box next to him before he could finish the sentence and he worked as quickly as possible. His first step was to check his pulse, then he disinfected and cleaned the wound before covering it in gauze and wrapping it up with bandages. The whole procedure took less than five minutes and when he was done, a bit of his colour returned.

"Kuroko-sama, is he…?"

"Provided he's a good healer, he should be fine in time." Kuroko lifted him up with some effort and carried him to the living room where he laid him out on the sofa. Once he had ascertained that Kagami was still alive, he left him there momentarily and went back to the kitchen, where Aomine was sprawled out on his back.

"Kuroko-sama, I'm so glad you came. Had you not-" Kuroko walked past both of them, picking up the discarded milk pot and filling it with cold water from the sink. The two servants watched him silently, waiting to see what he would do with it.

He walked back over to Aomine and slowly emptied out the slightly-milky contents onto his face, waking him almost instantly.

"Tetsu!" he spluttered. "Tetsu-what the FUCK?!"

"Excellent question, Aomine-kun. I was just about to ask you the same thing." His blue eyes burned with icy fire and Aomine couldn't understand it.

"Wha-" The metallic tang of blood hit him then. "Wh-Who's blood is this?" It was salty yet sweet; heady and powerful. He felt it coursing through his blood stream and he felt more alive and alert than he could ever remember being.

Kuroko shook his head sadly.

"Get yourself cleaned up, Aomine-kun. We need to discuss certain matters. As soon as possible." He turned to Marisa and gave her a small smile.

"I apologise for the extra mess I've caused you Marisa-san." Bewildered, she shook her head slowly.

"N-No…It's fine, Kuroko-sama. More than fine. Thank you for saving him-"

"Saving who." There was an unfamiliar emotion in Aomine's eyes but his entire aura was menacing.

"When you're ready, Aomine-kun."

The larger alpha stripped off his tattered, wet shirt, swiping the driest part of it across his dripping face before throwing it onto the tiles. The other three could see his sculpted, muscular torso was riddled with bullet holes.

"I'm ready now." Kuroko looked like he wanted to say something but then changed his mind.

"As you wish, Aomine-kun. Follow me." Both alphas walked out of the room, leaving Marisa and Tanaka behind. The crimson and ivory pools on the floor dripped into the grooves between the stone tiles, intermingling to form an unidentifiable colour before they were both washed away by Marisa's shaking hands.

* * *

The first thing Aomine saw when he walked into the living room was Kagami's prone form and he felt a sharp stab of pain in his chest. He didn't know why but it hurt far more than anything he'd experienced the night before.

"Now Aomine-kun, I would like you to recount the events of last night to me. If you please."

Eyes fixed on Kagami, he began to speak.

"The old man told me and Akashi to sort things out with Miyagi and co. We were just finishing business with them. They'd given us more info on this drug ring we were busting. Akashi told you about it a couple of weeks back. They were going to expand into central Asia, and the old man said if we let them getting any further, we'd never be able to stop 'em. Plus they'd be more than just our problem and he doesn't like working with more people than he has to. Miyagi's guys were giving us the dirt so that we could nail their kingpin and get all the big guys locked up.

"I told him we needed to settle everything. He said we should go to their den. Akashi had a problem with it but when we tried to change it, he started getting funny so we thought it was more important to get the info so we kept him sweet-"

"And were you concentrating fully when you initially agreed to meet in his den?" Aomine gritted his jaw, still focused on Kagami.

"No."

"Right. Proceed."

"So we get to their den at like ten. And it was all good. Miyagi's all smiles, the contract was drawn out. We agreed to protect them and their clan, they give us the info, whatever. They take Akashi to a room to sign the contract. I'm chilling in the main room with his brother…or cousin, I can't remember. There were a couple of omegas there-"

"Did you do anything?"

"What do you think?" Kuroko nodded and he kept going.

"Everyone's had a couple of drinks-"

"How much is a couple, Aomine-kun?" He looked away from the redhead for the first time since he'd gotten into the room to fix Kuroko with a hard yet unreadable look.

"A couple."

"I see."

"And then, I hear gunshots. Coming from where Akashi was. And I don't know it the drinks were spiked or not-"

"They were, from what Akashi-kun tells me." He clenched his jaw.

"I couldn't think straight. They started shooting where I was. I took a couple of hits-"

"'A couple.'" Kuroko's eyes scored Aomine's torso, taking in all the holes that peppered his body. Aomine twitched but said nothing. "I see. Please continue, Aomine-kun."

"But then I heard Akashi telling me get out and check for an outside ambush. And he was saying he could handle it inside. And I was going to, I swear I was. But then I heard this fucker at the door, calling me a coward and…"

"You snapped?" Aomine fisted his hands.

"It wasn't like that. I just-"

"You let your instincts control you. Even though you knew very well that the situation was in Akashi-kun's control and you would only be putting the both of you at greater risk by staying where you were. Knowing that you were intoxicated as well as under the influence of an unknown drug, and in what was more likely than not -at the time because now, we are fully aware that is was- a trap." Laid out like that, everything about the situation made Aomine feel like a complete fool but he was too proud to admit to his mistakes outright.

"What happened, happened-"

"No Aomine-kun. I won't allow you to brush it off like that because it isn't that simple. What happened was you triggered a complete bloodbath, you caused the deaths of innocents and put both you and Akashi-kun at unnecessary risk because you were too hard-headed to listen to instructions and because your mind was elsewhere." Kuroko sighed. "So what happened next?"

"If you know what happened, why the FUCK are you asking me-"

"Because you need to understand what happened."

"I fucking understand it, alright! I'm the one looking like a fucking cheese-grater, not you-"

"Correction. You know what happened. That, I won't and can't deny. But your response right now indicates that you don't yet understand it. Please continue, Aomine-kun."

He rolled his eyes, letting his eyes drift back to Kagami.

"I think I killed everyone there. I don't really remember. Akashi comes out and sees it and tells me to get the fuck out. I do and there's hundreds of guys outside. It was like past midnight at this point-maybe one or two, so there weren't many people about but there houses around...long story short, there was a fuckload of shooting. I don't remember how many guys got wiped out but when Akashi told us to split up, they were still shooting at us. The car was totalled so we ran through the forest. I got it worse than Akashi so I had to take a break once I got back to the city. The drug was hitting harder then and before I knew it, I was out of it completely."

"Is that all there is to the story?"

"Pretty much. I mean, I got back here but it was like, it was me thinking but it wasn't me. Like I was kind of watching my body do its own thing but at the same time, I had no idea."

"That sounds interesting." Aomine didn't know if he was joking or not. He didn't care enough to find out.

"I knew enough to get home and I remember walking up to the door, opening the door and then I followed the noise. And I remember it stinking of Satsuki. And that's basically it."

"You don't recall seeing Kagami-kun at all?"

"Not really."

"Aomine-kun, I didn't think I'd have to tell you this, but I require your honesty in order for us to make any progress here." Aomine's eyes turned flinty.

"Yeah. I saw him."

"Would you, or would you not, say that you were still running on instincts?"

"…"

"Aomine-kun?"

"Maybe…yeah. Fuck, I don't know-"

"You do know, Aomine-kun. You were still using your instincts and because of that, you were so desperate to claim Kagami-kun once you caught wind of the 'offending' scent. But because it had been running for too long, it had a tighter hold on you than you thought, and you couldn't turn it off. Am I right to assume this?"

"Assume whatever the fuck you want!" he growled. "You're gonna do it anyway, whether I deny it or not."

"That isn't true, Aomine-kun. I want to hear your perspective. Though I will be completely honest with you." Kuroko's tone changed ever-so-slightly but Aomine picked up on it and fixed him with a suspicious and mildly threatening stare.

"What."

"It probably won't change the outcome."

"What outcome?"

* * *

Kuroko had gotten to Aomine's house early as he was set to spend the rest of the day trying to wade through the catastrophe that Aomine had caused the night before.

He had been hearing reports of what had happened via his sources, other members of the Miracles -namely Kise- and the news.

Mainly the news.

"…the massacre appears to have happened at half-past one this morning…"

"…eye witnesses say they saw a figure speeding off to the woods…"

"…no arrests have been made…"

"…for now it is being treated as a territorial dispute but the level of violence is unexplained…"

"…the deceased Miyagi Anika was the daughter of a Middle-Eastern oil tycoon…"

Even the human news channels were reporting the issue, and they wasted no time in painting the wolves in as negative a light as they could. Kuroko watched a few seconds of a news report from a smug-looking white woman with a sleek, blonde bob. She looked almost victorious as a video of the disaster played in the background, coming live from a helicopter recording.

"This is precisely the reason why the American senate have been pushing for increased segregation laws in certain states. These…these animals can't be allowed act like barbarians any longer. It won't be long before their sickening, primative acts of mass violence spill over into human communities-"

Kuroko wondered how such extreme views could be broadcast on a major news network but then again, nothing should surprise him anymore.

But he couldn't fully dismiss her claims. Because what Aomine had done the night before had been…far from humane.

He sighed as he got up, rubbing a tired hand over his face. He would have a lot of work to do today.

As the 'Phantom' of their group, he was far-less notorious than the rest of the Miracles. If anything, his existence was treated as legend as opposed to reality. Only those in similar circles truly knew that he existed and even then, it was only a select few. The Miracles kept it that way, because it made it easier for Kuroko to go about his business. His main job lay in infiltration and in 'clean-up'. In situations where deals went wrong, or the public eye was fixed on their movements, Kuroko cleaned up quickly, quietly and efficiently, working in the shadows to detract media attention and keep everything about the Miracles discrete.

He paved the way for them to move in silence and leave no traces behind.

It was far from the easiest job but he was almost built for it. His lack of presence made it much easier for him to mingle with both humans and wolves and once noticed, he wasn't perceived as any kind of threat before it was too late. And the fact that he was a Sigma alpha gave him the advantage of heightened senses and abilities compared to other wolves.

His lack of stamina meant that he couldn't do jobs like the rest of them so his shadow work was perfect for his capabilities.

Having spoken to Momoi the night before, he had been informed of her request to get Kagami a phone. From the way she spoke about him, it was clear she had taken to him strongly. Kuroko couldn't help the feeling of jealousy when she briefly went over what had happened while Kagami had been at the Akashis' nor could he ignore the possessiveness when he realised her feelings for the omega. But he quickly rationalised with himself.

The reality was he belonged to neither of them.

Phone prepared, he travelled to Aomine's mansion. He would give Kagami a brief demonstration of how to use it before he went to the site of last night's chaos to do damage control.

Kuroko had feared Aomine would act recklessly based on what Akashi had told him but seeing Kagami the way he was had been more of a shock than Kuroko could have prepared himself for. As he had approached the door, he had sensed something was wrong and the waft of blood that floated out of the house when he opened the door had confirmed it. He'd wasted no time running to the kitchen and assessing the situation before knocking Aomine out painlessly and tending to the wounded omega before him.

His instincts had been going crazy at the sight of Kagami but he had squashed them all down and had focused on helping him heal. But the situation had confirmed what he and Akashi had discussed briefly on his way to Aomine' house. And the redhead had left it to him to break the news.

* * *

"You can't."

"I'll admit it's not a common practice and-"

"I'm telling you right now. You can't."

"Aomine-kun-"

"Why are you still talking?" Aomine stood up and walked towards the door. "You've said your bit. Now get up, and get the fuck out of my house." Kuroko looked disappointed but didn't move. "You going deaf, Tetsu? I said-"

He yanked the door open angrily, then stared in anger at the people assembled outside.

"What the fuck are you guys doing here?"

"Convening at the den would be an idiotic move, considering your show of intelligence last night." Aomine growled darkly at Midorima and with his bloodied teeth and wounded body he looked fearsome, but Akashi intervened.

"I must admit, Daiki. The fact that you didn't even sense us is a worry." Akashi walked into the room, followed by Midorima, then Kise and Murasakibara. Their focus immediately shifted to Kagami and there was a subtle shift in their demeanour.

The desire to protect.

"Get out."

"Sit down, Daiki-"

"Get out."

"I said, sit down, Daiki."

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" There was a shift in Akashi's aura and Aomine could no longer meet his eyes. He turned away with a stubborn thrust of his chin but his senses were on high alert.

"I don't take kindly to disobedience. Even from you. Please don't make me repeat myself." One of his eyes started to glow slightly, and Aomine begrudgingly sat down, as did the rest of them. But there was no denying that he had been rattled.

Murasakibara laid a hand on Akashi's shoulder.

"He's sitting now, Aka-chin."

"Excellent." His aura changed again, and was back to the relaxed assertiveness they were used to. The threat was gone.

"Now at this point, I'm certain that Tetsu has informed you of the new arrangement?"

"I won't let you take him." Aomine's stance was slightly subdued, but it hadn't changed in the slightest.

"It isn't a case of letting us, Daiki. The reality is that Kagami is a risk to you. His presence clouds your ability to think straight. You seem unable to think or act sensibly when he's around. The decisions you made yesterday were foolish, unjustifiable, reckless and poorly-thought through to the point that anyone would think you were a complete novice and not the best in the business."

Nobody challenged it because it was true. Aomine was a prodigy, in every sense of the word.

"But your recent actions…they don't reflect your natural talent at what you do. You are an integral part of this team but if you continue to act in the way you have, without thinking clearly, one of us will surely end up dead."

A grim silence followed his words. At last, Aomine spoke up.

"Then give me another chance…"

"If it were that simple, I would. But who's to say we will have more chances when it comes to our enemies? We were lucky that the Miyagi clan were a Phi clan. Had they been Sigma, or even Psi, we would've been in a significant amount of danger."

Aomine said nothing. It was Kise who eventually spoke up.

"Maybe you should give him a chance, Akashicchi. I've never seen Aominecchi this hung up over any omega. And what if you take him away and he gets worse." Akashi seemed to consider this.

"I must confess, Ryouta, I hadn't considered the possibility that Daiki's condition would worsen in Kagami's absence." Aomine shot a look to Kise that was as close to gratitude as he could get. Kise had never seen anything like it and couldn't help but beam back.

"Still, he poses a constant threat to the omega's life. It isn't safe for him to be around Aomine constantly." Aomine shot Midorima a filthy look.

"Trust you to pipe up-"

"Daiki, his point is valid, whether you chose to acknowledge it or not." Aomine closed his mouth and brooded in silence whilst Akashi considered everything. Eventually he sighed.

"Because of the decimation of the Miyagi clan, we lost was potentially enough information to have the entire Ryugos drug ring dissolved." Aomine lowered his head, feeling the weight of the statement settle heavily on his shoulders and resenting his actions the night before.

"However…" He glanced up and saw Akashi watching him with a measured look in his maroon eyes. "The fact that Miyagi was willing to set us up suggests that he may have been deceiving us about a lot of the information he provided. I have already received word that there was a partnership between him and Ryugos so, if anything, this may have been a blessing in disguise. And on that note, Shintarou." The green-haired wolf cleared his throat, pushing up his glasses.

"An informant has given us a lead on Ryugos next move. It is in a fortnight, so if we move quickly, we should be able to apprehend them." Akashi fixed Aomine with a hard look, but there was brotherly-affection in his voice.

"I expect you to lead this move, Daiki. And I won't accept failure. Prove to me that I'm making the right decision by letting you keep him." Aomine nodded once, not trusting himself to speak but instead looked over again at where Kagami lay, his chest rising and falling slowly.

So he was the first to notice when Kagami's eyelids fluttered, then slowly opened.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER: 12

He let out a tiny noise at the pain in his neck as he awoke which he instantly regretted when all the eyes in the room that weren't already on him joined those that were.

"Kagami-kun? Are you okay?" Kuroko asked worriedly, quite surprised that he was even awake after the amount of blood he lost.

"Mmmm…" he groaned. "Little light-headed, pretty dizzy…nothing I can't deal with…"

"You should probably go back to sleep."

"Easier said than done…" he murmured, looking around the room. To say the omega in him was intimidated was an understatement. All he could see, smell, taste was alpha. It was beyond overwhelming. He hadn't noticed as much the first time he'd been in the same room as them because the whole day…week had been too much for most people to handle.

But now that things were 'relatively' calmer, it was his sole focus. Being surrounded by this group of highly-threatening alpha wolves wasn't how he wanted to spend his Sunday morning.

Or any morning…though it's probably midday by now…

He was very aware of the fact that he wasn't wearing a lot and was very grateful for the blanket draped over him. His eyes drifted from one face to another.

Kuroko's eyes looked anxious, though he'd done a nearly faultless job of hiding it. His earlier statement didn't hold. He wouldn't mind spending most mornings with Kuroko. He had really found a friend in the other wolf. He trailed a hand over the bandages on his neck. They felt like Kuroko's handiwork. He felt a smile tug at his mouth.

A smile just for Kuroko.

"So, are we going to watch Kagami and Tetsu make eyes at each other all day or can we go eat? Because I'm starving." Kagami's eyes snapped from Kuroko's friendly face to Aomine's unfriendly one and his lips curled with distaste.

"Well that had been my plan before you ATTACKED me, you fucking asshole!"

Kise sucked in a shocked breath, eyes bulging slightly. The others weren't anywhere near as loud but they were all similarly surprised. Their thoughts were collective.

Wait…he always talks to him like that?

And he's still alive ?

But what had them even more surprised was Aomine response.

Or lack of.

"Boo-hoo! One bite and the violins come out. I didn't know you were such a damn cry-baby-"

"How about I draw a tonne of blood from you and we see who'd really be crying, huh?!" The redhead looked ready to fight him, injuries and all. Aomine laughed.

"Your welcome to try, sweetheart. But I don't see you getting far. Especially like that…"

"Prick!" Kagami hissed through his teeth, shooting him one final look of disgust before forcing himself up of the chair.

"Kagami-kun, maybe you should-"

"Sorry Kuroko. But I don't want to be in his company any longer than I have to be. Besides, I'd probably be a lot better if I ate something." As if taking his words as an introduction, his stomach growled menacingly. The effect on his face was immediate, a healthy red rushing to his cheeks, neck and even to his ears. "P…Pretend you didn't hear that…"

He shot out of the room like a bullet, leaving them to process what had just happened.

"He's adorable, ain't he?" There was a beat of silence but then Kise spoke up hastily.

"I mean, that much is obvious but Aominecchi…" he trailed off, looking uncertainly at the other wolf.

"Spit it out Kise. I want to go eat."

"I'm with Mine-chin," Murasakibara yawned. "I'm hungry."

"When aren't you?" Midorima asked, question completely rhetorical. Murasakibara gave him an unimpressed look and didn't bother responding.

"N-Never mind. Let's go eat."

* * *

They moved to the dining room and Kuroko went to the kitchen to let Marisa know that she had more mouths to feed. When he got there, he was met with the site of Kagami whipping up a storm alongside the official cook of the Aomine residence, who was acting as his support. And he looked like he was genuinely enjoying himself.

Kuroko would be lying if he said he didn't paint a very attractive picture. Anyone walking home to a sight like him in the kitchen with that smile on his face would be a very lucky person. Teamed with the whole scent debacle and Kuroko could almost see why Aomine had acted the way he had.

Almost…

"Kuroko? What's up?"

"Well, I had come in to let Marisa-san know that she had five more guests but it appears that both of you are many steps ahead of me." His eyes spotted Tanaka by the sink, peeling potatoes and feeling the keen eyes on him, he looked up and nodded.

"As a butler for Aomine-sama, one needs to stay ahead of the game." They exchanged a smile.

"Well, as I'm here, do you need a hand with anything-"

"Oh no, no Kuroko-sama! You can't be helping in here! It's unacceptable! Please, go back to the dining room. We'll be out with food as soon as possible, won't we Kagami dear?"

"You heard her, Kuroko." He grinned. "Mari-chan runs a tight ship and she doesn't take well to people not following her orders. You'd better lea…" He swayed slightly, forehead wrinkling as he closed his eyes with a wince.

Kuroko was by his side in an instant, a supportive arm around his waist.

"Are you okay, Kagami-kun?" He nodded quickly but it wasn't convincing to Kuroko's sharp eyes. "You're not very good at lying, Kagami-kun. I really wish you'd lie down again. It's too soon-"

"God, you two don't quit, do you?" Kagami's eyes snapped open immediately at the sound of the deep, mocking voice.

"Aomine-kun. I would have thought you'd avoid the kitchen for at least the rest of the day." Aomine shot him an unimpressed look.

"And why would I do that? So that you two can have more privacy? All you had to do was ask-"

"I'm asking," Kagami deadpanned. "Fuck off." Aomine raised an eyebrow.

"So there is something going on?" There was an edge to his voice, ever-so-slight that was very easily missed, even by someone like Kuroko.

But Tanaka had been around Aomine for all the younger wolf's life. And nothing escaped his notice. He had heard it very few times before but he still recognised it.

Dear God.

"Aomine-sama-"

"Of course there isn't, idiot! But who the fuck am I to turn down an opportunity to get rid of you for a day?"

Aomine chuckled and when he spoke again his voice was normal, but his eyes were almost magnetised to the redhead at the other end of the gigantic kitchen.

"You're right. Who are you?" Kagami rolled his eyes, slightly uncomfortable under Aomine's intense gaze. "A loud-mouthed omega who's too rude for his own damn good..." he muttered answering his own question and turning away suddenly. "Let's hope your hands move as fast as your mouth does and maybe the big, friendly giant in there won't eat the house down. Tetsu, let's go."

The slighter wolf had already moved his hands away from Kagami but looked unsure.

"Really, Kagami-kun, you should have some rest."

"I will, after I eat. Promise. Trust me, I'd be doing more damage to my body if I didn't eat." He laughed easily and Kuroko nodded.

"If you're certain then that's fine. But if you feel faint then don't hesitate to take break."

"I won't. See ya, Kuroko." He gave him a parting wave before turning back to the hob and Kuroko followed Aomine out of the door and back to the dining room.

* * *

"What took you guys so long?" Kise asked, looking up from his phone as the door opened.

"I had to pull the two lovebirds apart or the food would never get here. And God knows I don't want to be his next meal." He jutted a thumb at Murasakibara, who was slowly working his way through the fruit bowl.

"Hardly, Aomine-kun." Kuroko sat down beside him, helping himself to the pot of tea on the table. He inhaled the steam as it rose from the hot, beige liquid.

Vanilla…

"I was merely making sure Kagami-kun didn't pass out in the kitchen."

"I must admit, I am rather surprised he has the energy to stand, let alone prepare a meal." Kuroko had briefly recounted what had happened to Akashi and Midorima once they were in the dining room and both had been fairly surprised to know that the attack had been so severe. Not that Aomine wasn't capable of it -because they had all seen first-hand that he was capable of a lot worse, last night being just the tip of the iceberg- but the fact that Kagami didn't appear to reflect it at all.

"I have to agree, Shintarou. He does seem to be very…resilient…Daiki?" Aomine let go of the fruit bowl that he'd been trying to wrest away from Murasakibara without success.

"I was only taking one, but that fucking pig wouldn't let me! I'm innocent!"

"I wasn't referring to that but on that note, Atsushi, it's always nicer if you share."

"I don't want to be nice."

"Well then, at least be obedient." Murasakibara shot Aomine a vicious look for snitching before begrudgingly throwing a pear his way, with a lot more force than necessary.

In actuality, it was thrown hard enough to blow through a human skull like a torpedo through the hull of a ship.

Aomine caught it easily, a smug smirk firmly in place and bit into it.

"Thanks." Murasakibara scowled, holding the bowl protectively against him.

"Murasakibaracchi, can I h-"

"No."

"WHY?" Kise howled.

Aomine rolled his eyes.

"You were saying?"

"I'm curious to know if you felt different, in any way."

"Define 'different'." He was making quick work of the pear, absolutely ravenous after last night's activities.

"Well, describe how you're feeling now."

"Starved…pissed off." He gave the purple-haired wolf a dirty look that was returned with gusto. The blonde at his side had resorted to begging which his paler counterpart seemed to enjoy.

"Anything else…tired, perhaps? Slightly sore?" Aomine thought a moment then shook his head.

"Just hungry…kinda itchy actually."

"Whereabouts?"

"The bullet holes."

Ordinarily, his brother would have told him to dress up properly immediately. The fact that he hadn't yet was something Aomine deeply appreciated. But the real reason behind it was Akashi was monitoring him. He had long since taken note of the fact that the wounds on his body were healing well.

Abnormally so.

"Very intriguing, Daiki."

"I mean…whatever? I just want to fucking eat-"

"Yeah, well maybe if we had more hands in there, things wouldn't take so long!" Kagami snapped as he burst through the door, a loaded tray in his hands. He was covered in the aftermath of making the huge meal, his skimpy clothing stained just about everywhere. Had Aomine not been so ready to fight, he certainly would have commented on it. His appearance didn't miss the attention of some of the other members of the party, who suddenly looked hungrier and it had nothing to do with the food.

"What the fuck?! YOU sent everyone away!"

"Yeah, because you're a total whackjob! Just like everything else in life, it's all your fault!"

"Stupid bitch-"

"Fucking asshole-"

"Is it too late to call you both out on your language?" Akashi smiled and Kagami blushed immediately.

"Sorry…" he muttered.

"Good dog," Aomine smirked and Kagami looked ready to throw the entire tray at his handsome face.

"Let's hope this dog didn't poison your food-"

"If your cooking doesn't first," he retorted, making Kagami redden further with rage. "But it wouldn't kill me. Been there, done that. It would piss me off, though. And you wouldn't want that, would you?" Kagami growled but said nothing more, laying down the tray and heading back to the kitchen. After that, Marisa and Tanaka brought out the rest.

The food smelt beyond amazing and once the last dish had been set down, the group wasted no time tucking in.

* * *

"It isn't poison. You were wrong, Mine-chin." Aomine looked at him in confusion, still recovering from the meal.

"When isn't he?" Midorima interjected. Aomine flipped him off.

"What is it now-"

"He cooks really well."

Murasakibara complimenting other people's food was almost unheard of. He just ate. If he enjoyed it, he'd eat a lot. If he didn't, he'd still a lot but wouldn't go back. Perhaps if his opinion was asked for directly and he was feeling generous, he would say something. But it was rare for him to speak up unprompted. And it was even rarer for him to defend someone's food.

But he just had.

Aomine couldn't really say anything in response. He was still trying to digest what had been the best meal by a longshot in recent memory. He was surprised his wounds hadn't burst open with the quantity of food that he had consumed.

He'd been expecting Kagami's cooking to be passable at best so the fact that his food was arguably better than Marisa's: a seasoned chef with decades of experience.

There was a flavour to it that was so appealing to Aomine. Maybe because it was new, he didn't know. But it's like his cooking captured his essence. The food had personality…it didn't make sense. At least not to him. But he could tell it had been cooked in earnest and it tasted of his effort. It tasted like caring hand had prepared it.

And that was what infuriated Aomine as much as it enticed him. He knew Kagami could care. It was that he didn't that bothered him. At least, he didn't care about him.

The constant rejection just made Aomine seek Kagami's eventual succumbing even more fervently. He couldn't understand why; what the redhead had in him that others hadn't, to make him so hell-bent on owning him.

Watching him yield.

Marisa walked in then and began to clear the dishes. Akashi took the opportunity to speak up.

"Marisa-san, the food was exemplar, even for your standards. I commend both you and your sous-chef." It was plain obvious to all of them -as they had all eaten at Aomine's house at least once before, and Akashi had done so the most- that this wasn't Marisa's cooking so Aomine didn't understand his brother's angle.

The older woman beamed but shook her head.

"I can't take the credit for work that isn't mine, Akashi-sama. Kagami took charge this time around and…gosh, isn't he just adarling?" she gushed, forgetting herself. "He's so gifted in the kitchen and so polite-" She bowed her head suddenly, remembering her place. "Apologies, Akashi-sama, I got carried away-"

"Not at all, Marisa-san. I'm sure Daiki is most pleased to hear that he has such a talented, young omega at home. Where is he, if you don't mind me asking?"

"In the shower. Well he should be. I told him he should clean up as we had guests."

"And rightly so, Marisa-san." She beamed again then bowed and continued clearing before exiting the room with her first load of dirty tableware.

"What was that about?" Aomine asked accusatorily.

"There is no harm in checking, is there?" Akashi asked innocently. Aomine watched him carefully but that appeared to be all there was to it.

"Whatever," he grunted.

Marisa returned to take the rest of the dirty plates away, leaving the dishes that still had food on them under Murasakibara's careful guard. As she was leaving, Akashi called to her again.

"Marisa-san?"

"Yes, Akashi-sama?"

"Please could you tell Kagami to come to the dining room once he's done…showering?" She bowed deeply, balancing the tray with practised ease.

"As you wish, Akashi-sama."

Once she left the room, a companionable silence fell in the room, punctuated by the quiet sounds of Murasakibara eating.

Until Aomine voiced what had been on their minds the moment it had been mentioned.

"He's…showering…"

The eating noises stopped.

It was at times like this that they were most aware of their pack bond. Because the desire to be able to witness the act was shared.

Very much so.

* * *

They had been discussing their plan of action for the Rygos take-down when there was a single knock on the door. Akashi smiled slightly.

"Do come in, Kagami."

The door swung open slowly to reveal a freshly washed and newly-clothed Kagami. He had donned a white, sleeveless, close-fitting turtleneck that fell just above his knee and had an almighty slit up each side…and, disappointingly, a pair of navy blue trousers that ballooned at his knees before coming in to cinch his ankles. His damp, longish hair was pushed back and held in place with a headband but a few rebellious strands of red had broken free to frame his gorgeous, albeit hostile, face.

This has Marisa all over it…

Ordinarily he would've told Kagami to lose the trousers pronto, but in light of the company, he was glad that he had them on.

The less they get to see, the better.

"Please close the door behind you, Kagami." He did so and then waited, shifting from one foot to the other before crossing his arms defensively. The motion highlighted the well-built muscles in his arms and chest.

So big for an omega…but still more omega than any other wolf I've seen before…

"You called?" he asked, directing his question to Akashi.

"That's odd, I don't remember touching any lamps." Kagami blinked then snorted a laugh at the reference.

Who knew he could be funny?

"You should smile more, Kagami. It suits you a lot better than distrust and hostility." The smile was wiped off his face immediately and his eyes darted to Aomine before settling back on Akashi.

"I have my reasons…"

"I'm sure you do. Regardless, seeing you with anything other than a smile seems almost a waste. It makes your beauty even more striking." Kagami coloured a deep red at the compliment and Akashi noted it. "That colour, too, looks magnificent on you."

"I-I-uh-"

"Looks like everyone's pulling out all the stops today," Aomine joked but he was nowhere near amused. "Setting the barpretty fucking high." He fixed his sapphire gaze on the omega. "Why are you still standing?"

"Problem?" he asked, defiantly.

"Yeah. Problem. Sit."

They shared a look and the fact that Kagami was able to read it was a deep worry for him. He looked like he was going red again and cast a fleeting look at the door behind him.

"I wouldn't try it if I were you." Biting his tongue and squaring his shoulders, he walked over to Aomine's side and stopped.

The rest watched with quiet interest as he lowered his head, cheeks burning with shame but unable to hide behind his unruly fringe, thanks to Marisa's styling.

"Do I have to?" he ground out. Aomine smiled widely, but it was spiteful.

"What do you think?" Murmuring a curse under his breath that they were all able to hear, he sighed and sat in the alpha's lap. Aomine immediately wound his arms around his trim waist, holding him close before nipping at the bandages on his neck.

"See? Not so bad, right?" His breath ghosted along Kagami's skin making him shiver.

For more than one reason.

"Well," Akashi smiled and Kagami looked a touch desperately at him, hoping for pity. "Now that we're all comfortable…"

As expected, nothing.

I take back everything. He's a sadist, just like his brother.

"As we can expect you to be a part of our little family, at least for the foreseeable future, I thought you might like to be made aware of our plans for the next month or two." Kagami digested this, but said nothing.

Meanwhile, his stomach decided to digest its inner lining.

He tried to deny its existence but the tell-tale crimson on his cheeks was a dead giveaway.

"Do you ever stop?" Aomine marvelled and Kuroko kicked him under the table.

"I didn't even eat that much, so shut up!"

"What so half the house instead of the whole house?"

"Rude-"

"Why is that, Kagami-kun? Was there not enough left?" He turned from Aomine to Kuroko, transitioning quickly from annoyed to embarrassed.

"Oh, it's not that. There was plenty. But there was so much sh-" His eyes darted to Akashi nervously before he cleared his throat. "Stuff to wash up. All these big-ass pots and stuff…and Marisa isn't young…" They then darted to the door, in case the older woman was somehow listening. "And I was dirty anyway, so I decided to do it for her. Besides, she's a cook, not a cleaner…pretty dumb move to do it first though…"

"So long as you know-OW! Fuck it, Tetsu!" he growled.

"That isn't nice of you, Aomine-kun. Especially after Kagami-kun did something so nice for Marisa-san."

"It's fine Kuroko. It was my idea to send them away, so it only makes sense I do the heavy-lifting."

"See? Even he agrees with me!-"

"No, I'm saying it's fine for me to do the work. I'm not defending you. You're still a rude asshole." Aomine rolled his eyes.

"Whatever-" Kagami's stomach growled again, angry that it had been ignored and Aomine sniggered.

"S-Shut up! I haven't eaten properly in days. My stomach isn't used to it!"

"Excuses, excuses…" he snorted but turned to Murasakibara. "Pass me one."

The giant seemed to deliberate before sliding Aomine a tray of sausages. They had been prepared on Aomine's farm, a few miles from the house and a batch was delivered every week to the house, along with cuts of various other meats. Everything they ate at home was sourced on his land or made from scratch.

Aomine picked one up and held it out to him.

"Here." Kagami blinked at it then frowned slightly.

"Can't I eat them myself?"

"No. You'll eat too fast, choke, then die."

Not a bad option at this point. There are worse ways to go.

Kagami was about to tell him he'd rather starve but his stomach growled in warning, daring him to say it.

"You're impossible…" he muttered, fighting his blush as he leaned forward and ate it.

Inside, Aomine felt victorious. There was no better way to stake his claim on the redhead than to tame him in front of everyone. Albeit momentarily but the point was still conveyed.

Everything he'd done since the redhead had entered the room had been to soothe the possessive beast that had been rearing it's had the second Kagami had entered his life. He wanted to show that for now, Kagami was his and until he gave him up himself, nothing could change that.

There wasn't anything wrong with being a bit possessive.

Or a bit-

Shut the fuck up.

Akashi watched the scene with great interest before clapping his hands lightly.

"Now, back to our previous topic…"

* * *

Long story short, the Generations were going to be staying at Aomine's mansion for another week or so. At least, some of them were.

In light of yesterday's massacre, they had come under fire by other big players in the underworld who suspected them to be at fault and weren't happy with the reckless, bloody show that had been last night. Plus, unsurprisingly, the deaths had ruffled more than a few feathers worldwide of people who were out of the loop and didn't truly know of their existence. Either way, it had brought them a lot of unnecessary attention and the last thing they wanted to be doing was travelling to and from the den constantly as it would lead people to its location, and that was to be avoided at all costs.

They knew they were being watched so they had to act wisely.

Because Aomine's house had a more remote location and was the largest one there -Akashi lived part time between the main house and smaller houses outside the city- they had reconvened there.

"But we will be leaving in pairs to a safe-house in another prefecture as we prepare to put an end to this deviance once and for all."

Aomine and Akashi would leave first, a few days from now, then Murasakibara and Midorima a day later to finish off a job and join them. Then Kise and Kuroko, who would be covering their tracks before they all met up for the final attack.

"Of course, once the last pair has gone, you will be free for an undetermined length of time. It could be anywhere from a few days to a few months." Kagami's eyebrows rose. "I see that has gotten your attention. The freedom will be yours entirely. All I ask for in exchange is that you extend your hospitality to us for a few more days. I'm sure your cooking will be able to boost the morale of our pack before we travel."

Kagami chewed a sausage thoughtfully.

It wasn't really like he had a choice in the matter and realistically, there could be worse things planned for him.

Much worse.

And the fact that Aomine was leaving first was an added bonus.

Who am I to say no?

"I mean, it's not like I have a choice but sure." He ate the rest of the sausage, satisfied that things had gone more smoothly than his first encounter with them had.

"Splendid. I shall be looking forward to eating more of you divine cooking…which begs the question: where exactly did you learn to cook like that?"

Kagami choked.

Aomine smacked him hard on the back -probably overdid it on purpose, the bastard- making his eyes water. He did it again and dislodged the meat from his windpipe which he quickly swallowed properly before it could attempt to murder him again.

"God, I feed you and you still managed to choke. Talent." Kagami ignored him, clutching at the table as he processed the near miss.

And the question that had caused it.

"Kagami-kun, here." Kuroko passed him a glass of water, which he gulped from gratefully, stalling as the question continued to gnaw at him.

Why are you getting so worked up? You can totally answer this!

"I apologise, Kagami, perhaps I asked something personal?-"

"America!" he said with such confidence, there was a beat of silence before Aomine and Kise cracked up laughing.

"What?" he complained, embarrassed yet again.

"And you thought you were so smart…" Aomine succumbed to another fit of laughter as Kagami's skin quickly began to match his hair. Even Akashi chuckled.

"I believe their amusement stems from the fact that one would expect your knowledge came from there, seeing as you've lived there your entire life. However, I believe you would be the first to attest that America is a very large continent." Kagami blinked, no less embarrassed but very much confused.

"Akashi-kun is asking for specifics, Kagami-kun. Perhaps who taught you, or where you learnt in particular?" He was hiding his smile to save Kagami's wounded ego but the redhead noticed and was even more deflated.

"O-Oh…well…uh, I lived at an orphanage for a while and times got pretty tight so they had to cut most of the staff. So I used to help out in the kitchens and…I don't know…when you haven't got a lot to work with, it makes you more creative I guess. When I got older, I helped out in a couple of different kitchens and restaurants…and I kept learning." Akashi nodded.

"It appears you have a very colourful past, Kagami. I'd be interested in hearing more." Aomine felt Kagami stiffen slightly against him and quirked a confused eyebrow. "But at a later date." His body relaxed.

"Is there anything you would like to ask, Kagami-kun?"

The redhead shook his head at first but then stopped.

"Actually…yeah, there is."

"Please, go ahead, Kagami."

"So when you guys are gone…am I allowed to go out?" Akashi shook his head.

"I'm afraid not, Kagami. As I have already stated, we are constantly being watched, and you being outside could compromise our safety and your own."

"I didn't mean going to the city or anything, I just meant like to the gardens or something-"

"The answer is still no, Kagami. That is far too risky…but I sense you have another question."

He did.

He had been mulling over it for a while now and realised that this would be his only opportunity to ask the head of the pack before they disappeared. Because by the time they came back, it would be far too late to change anything. He was scared of Akashi. He wouldn't shy away from the fact. And as a group they were more than imposing.

But he needed to try.

"Can't…" he tried, before his voice failed him.

"Yes, Kagami?"

"Can't you let me go? I mean, I still don't know too much about you guys and I don't know where any of your hideouts are. And I wouldn't get caught, not again after all this has happened. And even if I did, I would never tell anyone about it, no matter what they did to me!" He sounded desperate because he was. He was begging. Begging to be let go.

"I swear, I wouldn't tell anyone! Just…just please!"

None of them could look at him.

Bar Akashi, only Kise did. Briefly. But long enough to give him a smile.

A sad, supportive smile.

"I understand your position, Kagami. I assure you I do. However…" At the word, Kagami's heart sunk and he fought back tears that he hadn't even known had been building. Aomine's arm tightened around his waist; a foreshadow of the verdict he knew was coming but didn't want to accept.

"The reality is that letting you go would be a massive liability. But even more than that, you are a significant asset to this pack. That much becomes clearer to all of us with every passing second. It is highly probable that Baron Stanford had no idea what exactly he was letting slip through his fingers."

The words left a cold chill that ran all the way down to Kagami's bones and there was something about Akashi's eyes that he didn't trust.

At all.

"Whilst I can't determine your future past Daiki, I can safely say that the likelihood of you remaining in this pack is high. Extremely high. Fortunately or unfortunately…"

He was the judge.

Raising his gavel to strike it on the block, marking his decision as final.

Sealing his fate.

"This is your life now, Kagami."


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER: 13

"I assure you, there are worse packs to be associated with. And you will be duly taken care of, once Daiki relinquishes ownership of you-"

"Which ain't happening anytime soon," he cut in absent-mindedly. Most of his attention was still on the redhead in his lap who didn't appear to be processing anything.

"Regardless." Akashi sighed. "I understand this is a lot to come to terms with so I will give you time to yourself. But this was no decision made out of spite. And as a rogue, perhaps this might end up working in your favour. You will at least gain a sense of companionship…"

Kagami couldn't hear him after that. He had zoned out completely.

Companionship?

Rogue or not, he highly doubted being passed around like a living sex toy was going to help him form any worthwhile bonds. He was basically a pack omega at this point. Or he would be the moment Aomine decided he was bored of him and turned him out for the rest of his pack to have a go. And despite what Akashi said, he was no fool. He knew it would only be a matter of time before they too decided he was worthless and passed him on to the next group of alphas. And that would be his life from there on out.

Being used and abused by countless other wolves; raped on a regular basis until he was just an empty vessel, half-dead.

He wouldn't let that happen.

From his viewpoint, he had two choices.

Akashi had always hinted that he had an additional interest in him that had nothing to do with the fact that he was an attractive omega. There was a very curious vibe that surrounded the other redhead and it intrigued him almost as much as it scared him. He felt that there was a lot he was hiding but he also knew that getting too close and rocking the boat would be a fatal mistake.

Additionally, he knew that for whatever reason, Aomine had a fairly deep-seated attraction to him. He wasn't sure whether it was sincere or not, but at this point it didn't really matter. The only thing that did matter was the fact that the bluenette was willing to go (and had already gone) out of his way to keep Kagami with him. That was what was important.

And so formed the basis of his two decisions.

The first: Gain some leverage over the Miracles, or prove himself indispensable to them. Something that would prevent them from getting rid of him when the time came. Begrudgingly, he was forced to admit that Akashi was right -he was starting to believe that the other man being incorrect was a rarity verging on impossibility. There certainly were worse packs to be associated with.

Even with the little he knew of their pack, it was plain to see that they were one of the best. They had wealth, status, organisation and, most importantly, an incredibly tight bond. He could feel it buzzing quietly in the background now that they were all assembled. The fact that an outsider could feel it in the first place with so few members was a testament to its immense strength. They all clearly trusted their lives with each other and there was love there. It was obvious. But that was shared within their pack. He was many things, and had even been acknowledge once or twice.

But he was far from being one of them.

However, that didn't negate the fact that he could've faired far worse when it came to being a pack omega. Even from a superficial standpoint, many omegas-many wolves- would have been more than satisfied -pleased even- with the life Kagami was being subjected to now. Everything he could ever want taken care of, security, limitless money and all in exchange for spreading his legs and letting himself be fucked by six devastatingly handsome, 'pure-blooded' alphas. Getting everything and them some in return for doing what a good, little omega should...

Kagami wasn't superficial.

And he sure as hell wasn't about to submit to anyone. He had too much pride for that. He wanted so much more for himselfthan that. He didn't see himself as an omega, he saw himself as a wolf. He had never come to terms with the concept of being treated as inferior just because he had to deal with heats and other things every couple of months.

He hadn't been raised that way.

Which brought him to his second option…

Escape.

The opportunity would definitely be there once the Miracles left on their mission but though it was the option Kagami was leaning towards, he knew that it came with a huge level of risk. He only had one shot. If he failed and got caught…he couldn't see them being very forgiving about it. Kuroko, perhaps, but even if the blue-haired wolf did side with him, he knew he wasn't the pack's leader. Akashi was. And Kagami was more than aware of the fact that the redhead didn't tolerate direct disobedience. He had made his position very clear earlier on. This was his life now, and if he fell into the wrong hands, it would be nothing short of fatal to their pack. Thus he needed to stay put.

But he couldn't…he couldn't live like this for the rest of his days. There had to be a way out of it…

It's fine…you'll find a way. Of course you will…just take it easy.

It was then that Kagami realised that despite how dire his situation was, he was surprisingly calm about it. He'd felt a gradual sense of peace ebbing through him like waves lapping the shoreline at low tide. It was then that he noticed two things.

The room was now empty, besides himself and his captor.

There was a hand on his wrist that hadn't been there before.

"Where did…?"

"Finally with it? Thought you'd turned into a vegetable." Kagami scowled, trying to work his way off Aomine's lap now that the alpha no longer had a point to prove. Of course, Aomine held him firmly in place.

"Hold your horses. Where do you think you're going?"

"To my room?"

"It isn't yours anymore." Kagami turned slightly in his lap, ignoring the grunt of appreciation from Aomine as his ass rubbed against his half-hard crotch.

And why the hell is he always ready to go, anyway?!

"What the heck does that mean?"

"What's got you confused? 'Yours'? 'Anymo-"

"Try not to be a dumbass for once in your life," Kagami sighed. "You know that isn't what I meant. Why can't I go there now?"

"You're going to be staying in my room until I get back."

"I mean, I'm not even going to bother arguing at this point. God knows it won't get through that thick head of yours-"

"You're one to talk-"

"But why now?" Aomine quirked an eyebrow.

"What, so you're going to act like you don't know you're basically living in an all-alpha house now, right? If you want to get two monster-sized cocks shoved up your ass at the same time when you leave your room for a midnight snack, be my guest. If you don't, you'll shut the hell up." Kagami flushed all the way to his ears, dipping his head slightly.

"Oh…but I thought I wasn't a pack omega yet-"

"You're not," Aomine growled, harsher than necessary, wrapping his arm even tighter around Kagami's narrow waist. "But if you think I have a problem with self-control, just wait 'til you see the rest of them. Especially the giant…"

Kagami thought that Aomine made a very valid point. The thought of Murasakibara…

Let's not go there.

"I mean, whatever…" He couldn't really say anything else, instead sitting there as Aomine massaged his scent gland. There was no point telling him to stop because he knew he wouldn't listen.

And it certainly had nothing to do with the fact that a small part of him, a tiny part of him that he deemed hopeless omega, appreciated what Aomine was doing to calm him down. He smelt Aomine's soothing scent surrounding him and just…let it be.

He had to pick his battles wisely and this wasn't one worth having.

* * *

Kagami eventually managed to persuade Aomine to let him free, only when Akashi came back in to call Aomine for a meeting in the living room. The invitation was extended to Kagami but he declined it. He had considered it -the more information he knew about them, the greater his standing would be when the time came to decide whether to give him away or not but it was a double-edged sword. If he ended up escaping and failed…

Death would be a certain punishment.

Plus, he knew most of it would go over his head. And he wasn't entirely sure Akashi wanted him there in the first place, despite the invitation.

"No, I'm feeling a little light-headed anyway. I'll probably go-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Aomine picked him up easily, carrying him bridal-style towards the stairs.

"I'll meet you there in a sec." Akashi nodded and went to the living room as Aomine climbed the stairs.

"P-Put me down!" Kagami spluttered, wriggling furiously.

"Don't be an idiot! I'll drop you, stay still-"

"Put me DOWN-"

"Don't make me repeat myself, omega." Kagami growled lowly in his throat but stopped struggling and let Aomine carry him towards his new bedroom.

Aomine's bedroom.

The room was several times larger than the one he'd been in, more similar to the size of an average apartment than a master bedroom. Kagami wondered how much space the man needed; it seemed way too extravagant…

He was suddenly hit with an image, a flashback. It was unwelcome now.

But perhaps later, when he was alone…

"What's wrong? Headache?"

"Yeah," he sniped, "must be all the blood loss." Aomine rolled his eyes.

"God, you can bitch. Get over it." Kagami wanted to punch him, but did nothing.

Aomine deposited him on the bed and Kagami immediately curled up into a ball, giving the alpha his back.

"Stay here." Kagami said nothing. "And don't do anything stupid." Still nothing. "Not talking to me, huh?"

"You said not to do anything stupid. And wasting my breath on you is about as dumb as it gets." Aomine snorted.

"Whatever, omega. Get some sleep." He closed the door on him and Kagami heard nothing for a second before he heard receding footsteps go back down along the hallway. He exhaled softly, uncurling and straightening out on the bed.

"'This is my life now', huh?" He laughed hollowly, trying to ignore the bitter irony of the situation.

From one prison to another-

He heard a buzzing somewhere in the room. At first, he ignored it, too tired to get up. But whatever it was, it wasn't going down without a fight. Eventually, he was forced to roll off the bed, landing on the floor with a thump. Frowning, he crawled on his hands and knees, following the sound to the bottom drawer of one of the many chests of drawers in the room. This one was near a socket and he saw a cable that led from the plug in the wall to the drawer. It looked vaguely familiar.

"Oh! That's where it-!" He jumped as the door opened swiftly and Aomine appeared. His heart thumped rapidly, shocked at his sudden arrival.

"What was that noise?" He looked at the redhead on the floor with a mixture of confusion, irritation and something else that Kagami couldn't place. Perhaps it was because it seemed out of place in the cold, cerulean eyes he was becoming so accustomed to seeing all the time.

"I…fell…"

"I can see that, genius. Why?"

"I…don't know?" Aomine sighed, fixing him with an unimpressed look.

"Listen, you said you wanted to sleep, so sleep. If I have to come back here to watch your failed acrobatics routine again, I'll tie you to the bed and fuck your lights out. Seeing as you have so much energy to burn." He smirked. "How does that sound?"

"Like my idea of hell."

"Good. Now, shut the fuck up and go to sleep." He slammed the door behind him and went back downstairs. Kagami rolled his eyes.

He complains about my noise but then slams the door…like…never mind…

Still, with Aomine's warning still sending tiny tremors of terror through him, he decided it was definitely better to keep quiet for now.

The real culprit in all this had kept quiet as though playing innocent and Kagami grabbed the phone with a sour scowl.

"This is all your-"

It rang again suddenly, making him jump. His eyes scanned the caller ID and he couldn't help but smile.

"Momoi…?" he asked a touch uncertainly after he'd answered the call.

"Well, who else were you expecting?" she huffed. He laughed.

"No one, no one. But I doubt Aomine would be too happy with the name…"

"What Dai-chan doesn't know won't hurt him," she whispered conspiratorially and he chuckled, but then her tone got serious. "Tetsu-kun told me what happened! Are you okay, Kagamin?"

"Oh, fine, fine! I mean…Aomine acting like an idiot shouldn't really come as a surprise to me anymore…"

"But Tetsu-kun said there was a lot of blood…do you need anything? Maybe…" He could tell what she was about to suggest and shook his head quickly, though she couldn't see him.

"Honestly Momoi, don't even worry about it. I'm fine. I just need some rest."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Well…I mean, if you're certain but…at least, can I come and visit you?" Kagami hesitated, a small grin on his face. "I-If that's okay with you, obviously…but just, you know…" His grin grew. Momoi really was too sweet for her own good.

How are her and Aomine even related? It makes no sense…

"Of course you can. In fact, I'd really like that."

"Really?!" He laughed at her eagerness.

"Really," he confirmed. "Only…"

"What is it?"

"You might want to wait a little while, until they all go."

"Oh yeah…" She sounded slightly sad.

"Momoi?"

"Mmm? Oh! Nothing! I was just-"

"Worried about them…?" he asked gently. She was silent for a while but then sighed softly.

"I always worry about them. How can I not? They're all family to me. But every time I do…they just tell me I'm being over-emotional. The thing is, though…" Kagami gave her room to speak. "When they go out on missions like this, they knowthere's a chance things could go really wrong. They know and they accept it. So how is it me over-reacting when they know they could…you know…" Kagami hummed thoughtfully.

"I mean…this is just me thinking…" He sat more comfortably, resting his back against the side of the drawer and stretching his long legs out in front of him. "But maybe it's like, they just want to know you're back at home being strong for them. Or rather, they want to know that you'll be strong whatever happens, you know? And again…this is only like me speculating, because I don't make a habit of getting up close and personal with people who bust drug rings for a living.

"But I think it's more of a trust thing. Because I'm pretty sure they trust you to handle all the stuff you do by yourself without worrying, so they kind of expect the same back?"

"I get what you mean but…my job isn't dangerous like theirs is…-"

"I mean, yeah, maybe you're not at risk of being stabbed in the guts every day of the week, but it's just as important in a way. You're like the face of the Generations, aren't you?" This time, it was her who nodded without being seen. Except somehow, he knew. "What you do must have a mega-big impact on what they do. How the public sees them. All that kind of stuff. It's a really, really big deal. But they trust you to do it, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, I think it's the same thing. They know they're good at what they do, and they know you're good at what you do. So it's kind of like, they're letting you get on with it 'cause they know you won't screw it up. And they're expecting the same. I think it's all a trust thing at the end of the day."

Momoi digested this and the more she thought it over, the more she agreed. She knew that it was in her nature to worry about those she cared for; those she loved. But she also knew that sometimes she worried too much. And maybe, she should just trust them a bit more. She reckoned it would probably be better for them if she worried less, as it wouldn't put them on edge as much.

Kagami's words also made her come to terms with her position more. It wasn't as though she resented her job at all, because she didn't. But sometimes, she wondered whether she had been made the face of Generations because she couldn't handle what they did behind the scenes.

But it was as he said, her job was just as important. It was only that she was more suited to what she was doing now than what they did. She didn't get her hands as dirty but so what? It didn't change anything between them; they were all working for the same cause but they were just doing different things. They trusted her to be in charge of all that and she should do the same with them.

"You know, you might be on to something, Kagamin."

"Well that's a relief. I thought I'd said something dumb for a minute."

"No…you're really great to talk to, Kagamin. There's something so…soothing about you. It's like…healing balm."

"Healing balm…" Kagami repeated sceptically. "I mean…I guess that's a compliment?"

"It IS! I promise. It's a really good thing."

"Well then. Healing balm it is!" They both laughed but Kagami's quickly turned into a yawn.

"I should let you rest now. But text me later, once you've woken up."

"Will do. Thanks so much for calling, Momoi. It was really nice talking to you." He couldn't see her face go pink with pleasure, but he could certainly hear the happiness in her voice.

"I love talking to you. And you've helped me out more than I have you."

"I mean, I haven't but again, I'll take the compliment." She laughed then blew a kiss.

"I'll speak to you soon, Kagamin. Rest well!"

"Bye Momoi!" The call ended and he yawned again, stretching slightly before getting up and making his way to the bed.

He felt exhausted and lay down, letting sleep overtake him. As he drifted off, he heard the sound of receding footsteps in the hallway once more, but couldn't discern whether it was a dream or reality.

* * *

When he awoke, it was a lot darker in the room but other than that, nothing seemed to have changed.

Wait…

He sniffed and turned slowly to his side. On the small dining table -the room was that spacious-, there was a lidded, silver platter, a jug of fruit juice and a carafe of water. There were also two thermoses beside it.

He looked up at the gold-gilded clock on the wall. It was just past six o' clock.

"Damn, I've been out for a-" His stomach grumbled and he chuckled. "Just in the nick of time."

He walked over to the table and pulled out a seat, eagerly taking the lid off the dish. He was hit with a warm, homely, delicious smell that set his stomach off in anticipation. Marisa had baked what looked like a game pie and Kagami couldn't wait to tuck in.

…

Dinner finished, Kagami yawned again. He was sleepy, but not tired enough to be able to rest straight away. He idly wished for Momoi's bath oils and made a mental note to ask her where she got them when she came over to visit. Realistically, he should have made one on his fancy smartphone as he was certain to forget by tomorrow.

Still, the idea of a bath appealed greatly to him and he ventured to the bathroom to explore.

The en-suite bathroom was about the size of his old room and followed the lavish theme that the rest of the room did. That the rest of the house did.

Well…mansion. But whatever.

Aomine's shower was more like a miniature waterfall, with four shower heads situated on each wall of the gigantic shower.

For maximum coverage.

And there looked to be a fountain in the bath…

What the hell was the person who designed this place thinking?

'Let's blow their budget'.

Probably.

Kagami's crimson eyes spotted something on the rack that hung on the granite wall of the room. Several somethings that made his eyes gleam slightly.

He walked over and picked up one of the bottles of oil, uncapping it and sniffing deeply. It smelt very similar to what Momoi had used that night and he made a noise of appreciation in his throat.

It echoed back.

He nearly dropped the bottle, spinning on his heel to find cold, hungry ultramarine.

"W-What are you doing here?!"

"I mean…this is my room and all…-"

"It's too late to play that card, bastard. You dragged me here-"

"For the sake of your ass…" His eyes blazed an ice-hot trail over his body, making him shiver. "Although…it looks like it won't make a difference either way…"

Kagami took a cautionary step back, brandishing the bottle like a weapon.

"I don't want to know what you're thinking but stop it. I-"

"How long are you planning on holding out?" He leaned against the doorframe, his tone conversational.

Kagami shouldn't have been surprised but it was the casual arrogance that floored him every time.

"There's no fucking time-limit."

"But Akashi told you straight up what your life's gonna look like from now on, so tell me." He opened one eye, fixing it on the frightened but defiant omega in the corner of his colossal bathroom. "How long do you plan on refusing to give it up?" Kagami stayed quiet.

That was the reality. As much as he had tried to make the best of the situation he was in, the truth was that yet again, he had one of two choices.

Give himself up willingly or continue to refuse, to fight…

And have his pride taken from him by force.

"I mean, I can guarantee it will hurt a lot more if you end up getting…" he grinned. "You know."

"I don't care." Aomine's eyebrows rose.

"Ho? Still ballsy. I like it. But…" he sang, pushing himself off the wall and sauntering over to him.

Except there was nothing relaxed about it.

He was a predator. Stalking his cornered prey.

He came to a halt a few feet in front of Kagami. Careful not to enter his personal space. Physically at least…

Kagami felt him everywhere. His presence. Suffocating. His dominance. Crippling.

"I'll be even clearer. Crystal clear." He laughed. Kagami didn't join him. "I want you." His voice was a sinful, decadent purr. Creeping out from his mouth and breaching the precious space between them, winding tantalisingly around Kagami's bandaged neck. Sneaking delicately into his ear, whispers of dark promises. Wooing him. Enticing him.

Give it up. You're an omega. It's what you're made for.

He's good. He's very good...the best there is. He'll make you feel amazing…

You'll end up wanting it just as badly as he does.

Kagami wasn't swayed.

He wouldn't be. He could feel the blood rushing in his ears, drowning out the invader.

"I don't care."

"That your phrase for the day?" Aomine looked almost unimpressed. He repeated himself.

"I want you. And I'm going to have you." He took a step forward. Kagami sensed the threat and did his best to become one with the wall. "I'm going to show everyone you're mine first."

Kagami's breathing became shallow as though breathing Aomine's scent too deeply would cause it to infect him.

"Pretty sure you knew that already, though. The only difference this time is…" He smiled. It was satiny, like a caress. Goosebumps broke out all over Kagami's skin and his claws extended.

"I'm giving you a time limit. The moment I come back." Kagami was caught up in his trance, their eyes locked indefinitely. "The moment I step through those doors. Your ass is mine." He leaned even closer and Kagami didn't dare inhale anymore. "So get ready. Because, like it or not. I'm. Coming."

Kagami was frozen. Trapped.

Aomine had set the ball rolling. He'd started the ticking time-bomb. And he'd left it in Kagami's hands.

What he chose to do with it was his choosing.

Kagami had never met someone like him. And he hoped he never would again. He was a force to be reckoned with. Brutal. Unyielding.

A challenge.

"I'd…"

"Hmmm?"

"I'd like to see that happen, asshole!"

He shoved him back with all his strength and he stumbled, but his insane reflexes balanced him. For a moment, he blinked and Kagami felt a stab of fear, wondering if this would be it. If he'd pushed too hard.

Then he laughed.

He laughed so hard he sat down on the edge of the swimming pool he called a bath tub, clutching his sides. The sound reverberated almost eerily, bouncing off the cold, grey walls.

"You know, I really wish I'd filmed that." His smile faded slightly, eyes burning. "So I could play it to you after I've fucked you so hard you've forgotten who you are."

He moved so quickly Kagami's eyes couldn't follow him. He wouldn't have known where he was, had it not been for the crushing grip on his chin, pulling his face viciously upwards.

"And remembered what you really are. An o-me-ga." Every syllable was a blow to Kagami's stomach, winding him. His face was mere centimetres from Kagami's, their lips a hairsbreadth apart. "And that pride you love so much. That fucking pride that drives me crazy…consider it gone."

It wasn't so much a kiss as an assault on his mouth. Aomine's tongue went so far back Kagami felt himself gag. His lips were bitten, he tasted blood.

Then suddenly he stopped.

"I'm going to take away everything you know. Because I think only then." His breath was coming in harsh pants. "Only thenwill you finally understand your body isn't yours anymore. You don't belong to yourself anymore. Everything. It's all mine. Mine. You hear that, my sweet, sweet omega?" His eyes bore into the vacant, glassy ruby in front of him.

"Mine."

He released him, and Kagami collapsed in a heap.

"You know, I'll let you sleep in your room tonight. You can move in here tomorrow. And you don't worry about the rest of them." He turned around, already at the door. "They know not to touch my things."


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER: 14

My neck hurts…

Kagami's eyelids opened reluctantly, letting in the very much unwelcome morning light. He screwed his eyes shut, getting up slowly.

Scratch that. His whole body ached.

He didn't know what time it was as there was no clock -his phone was still in Aomine's bedroom and wild horses couldn't drag him back there. But he presumed it was mid-to-late morning. He'd slept for over twelve hours and it hadn't even been restless. He hadn't expected it to be though. In a way, it was as though his body had given up trying to fight Aomine's advances.

That wasn't to say the bluenette had broken his spirit because he hadn't. Far from it. However, he no longer tossed and turned when he thought of his future with Aomine. Though he was shocked in the moment, afterwards, he settled down, almost comfortable with the reality that there was little Aomine could do to surprise him anymore.

His actions were verging on predictable because his mindset was simple:

He was Aomine Daiki. And Aomine Daiki got what he wanted. Aomine Daiki always won.

And that's all there was to it.

He fucking thinks…

Kagami had meant what he said the night before, however much Aomine had tried to intimidate him. He wasn't going to take his future lying down. He would fight tooth and nail to be free. He'd made his decision. If Aomine wanted anything from him…

He was going to have to take it by force.

He felt his neck throb again and got up, heading to the bathroom so he could look in the mirror. His face was blemish and cut-free. Showing no signs of everything that had taken place the night before.

But his body remembered.

He slowly unwound the bandages that had been carefully done up by Marisa after his shower the day before, rolling them away until his skin was exposed.

As expected.

He wound them back on, watching his reflection as soft cream covered smooth caramel, inch by inch. As he stared, he suddenly realised there were two sets of red eyes watching his reflection.

"OH FUCK!"

What is WITH these guys and bathrooms?!

"Apologies, Kagami. I didn't mean to scare you." His eyes danced.

Yeah, right.

"How are your wounds?" Kagami looked at Akashi carefully. The wolf was impossible to read at the best of times. His face was impassive but Kagami felt that he was testing him. He had no idea how much Akashi had seen.

"Doing…good…" His face remained unchanged and for a moment, Kagami became nervous. But then he smiled.

"I am happy to hear that." Kagami nodded. "I suppose you're wondering why I'm here."

"I mean…" Akashi laughed.

"I thought I should bid you farewell, until our next meeting." Kagami wondered if he'd spoken to Aomine since last night and his eyes unconsciously looked right, to beyond the wall where Aomine's room was. "Daiki is already in the car." Kagami jumped.

"I didn't…I mean, I wasn't…" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Right." His words were empty, giving nothing away.

"I trust that Daiki didn't do anything untoward last night?" Kagami looked directly at him.

"Nothing more than what he doesn't already do."

"I see…" The air was awkward. Kagami didn't know whether to trust him or not.

Trying to work Akashi out was like being stuck in a never-ending maze with a life of its own. Even if you did make progress, the walls would forcibly push you back to where you started. If you were lucky. If not, they'd push you back even further, to a new starting point and watch as you helplessly tried to find your way out again.

"I can see that you have a lot on your mind, so I shall leave you to it. I hope that we will be able to speak soon." Kagami nodded but volunteered nothing further. Less was more when it came to Akashi.

"And allow me to reiterate that your…situation…is as much for your safety as it is ours but I apologise for the lack of freedom." He sounded sincere enough and Kagami sighed again.

"I know. It's…it's fine."

"It may not be much but I hope you will at least enjoy these next few days with some of the…friendlier members of our pack."

Kagami had nearly forgotten. Murasakibara and Midorima would be leaving a day or two after but he would have more than a few days with Kuroko and Kise. He already liked Kuroko and Kise seemed nice enough. He then wondered if Akashi had planned this intentionally.

I wouldn't put it past him-

Akashi was suddenly directly in front of him, an elegant finger at his throat.

"I wish you a speedy recovery."

His eyes were unreadable. Kagami's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed then cleared his throat.

"U-Uh, thanks…" Akashi's eyes bored into his for what felt like minutes before he smiled.

"Take care, Kagami."

"And you."

The alpha left but it was only when Kagami heard the distant slam of the front door that he exhaled, his body sagging. He turned back to the mirror, gripping the sink basin with both hands and staring at his worried reflection. He'd tried to quash his anxiety but every meeting with Akashi left him more unsettled, more confused.

How much does he know?

* * *

Kagami finally left his room and made his way downstairs to the kitchen when his stomach became too hard to ignore. He peeped into the dining room and saw Murasakibara and Midorima there. The former was eating at one end of the table and looked up as the redhead looked in. The latter was at the other end, on his phone. He didn't look up.

Kagami nodded uncertainly to the purple-haired wolf and disappeared before he got a response-that in itself was unlikely. He then made a beeline for the kitchen, hoping to find some food ready to go. Inside, he found more than that.

"Kuroko! What are you doing here?"

"Good morning, Kagami-kun." He smiled. "Or should I say afternoon?" The redhead blushed.

"I can't help it. I was tired…"

"No one is blaming you for anything, Kagami-kun. Feel free to sleep as much as you want." He grinned.

"I'll hold you to that. Don't be surprised when I-oof!" He felt strong arms wrap around his waist and his body tensed automatically, immediately associating the action with Aomine.

But then his brain caught up. It couldn't be Aomine, he was no longer here. And these weren't Aomine arms: they were paler, less muscular-but not by much. And a lot more…

Friendly?

"Awww!" The nose in his neck sniffed again. Deeper. "Aominecchi got rid of his scent! I wanted to smell him up close…" He could hear the pout in his voice. His brain didn't compute.

This guy's…an alpha?

"Be gentle, Kise-kun. Kagami-kun was injured just yesterday."

"I know but…" The prying nose sniffed at his bandages again, the curious movements tickling his neck. "I don't smell much blood…" Kagami tried to play it cool as Kuroko cocked his head with interest.

"What do you mean, Kise-kun?"

"I mean…he doesn't smell like he has any really bad injuries-"

"Because I put this…" He searched desperately for a word. "Healing balm!" he cried, mentally face palming. "I put healing balm on it and it masks stuff, you see! It's from the States but…I, er, I got Momoi to get me some just in case." Kise tilted his head thoughtfully, like a baffled puppy.

"Oh? Really? I thought my nose was pretty good but I don't smell any balm…"

His nose was second only to Murasakibara. His olfactory organs were highly developed, making his sense of smell excellent. He could pick up a whiff of blood long after it had been cleaned and could pinpoint a person amongst thousands just by having smelt them once before.

"A-Ah yeah, well…in America, they've got loads of new…balms…" he finished weakly. He didn't know whether he'd managed to convince Kuroko or not -he highly doubted it. He couldn't even convince himself- but either way, the blue-haired alpha called the sniffer dog off the trail, as it were.

"Ah yes, I recall Momoi-san mentioning something like that once before. I told her I would love some for my first aid kit. It could come in handy."

"It sounds handy!" He nodded his blonde head in agreement.

Silence.

"Uhhh…K-Kise?"

"Mmmm?"

"Are you…going to let me go?" The arms tightened fractionally.

"No…"

Kise would have made a good omega.

If Kagami agreed with the stereotyping of genders and all the prejudice that went with it, he would have said that Kise would make a good omega. A great omega.

But he made an even better alpha.

He went against the general perception of alphas of his position and social standing so much in certain ways but at the same time, adhered to it so much in other ways, you'd think they were based on him directly.

Kise was simple. But he was also complex.

He was open, but he was also a closed book.

He was playful, but there was a constant air of authority around him, like a veil that couldn't be pierced.

He found Kise interesting, to say the least.

And it seemed that the sentiment was more than reciprocated.

"I don't know how Aominecchi can be so mean to you! If I was him, I'd hug you all day!" Kagami felt the hardness pressing into him and snorted quietly.

I bet he'd do a lot more than hugging if I was his omega. If I was anyone's omega, that is...

"You know…you can let me go. I'm not going to run off anywhere." He would, once the blonde's back was turned.

"No. I don't want to." He stuck his nose into Kagami's hair and inhaled. "Mmmm…" Kise being this close made him nervous. He wasn't used to having strangers be so touchy-feely with him. But he got the feeling that Kise was like this with a lot of people.

"Say 'ah', Kagamicchi!" Split eyebrows traveled rapidly to a fiery hairline in surprise.

"Kaga-mmph!" Kise shovelled a spoonful of rice into Kagami's mouth and he nearly choked. Kuroko sighed.

"Kise-kun, let him go. I know you want to help but I think it would be better if you let him feed himself…"

"BUT!" He tried to protest but Kuroko shook his head quietly. Then he sighed. "Fine…" Reluctantly, his arms loosened enough for Kagami to squirm out of them and he did so, hesitating before sitting next to the downcast blonde, who brightened up immediately.

"I appreciate the effort but…I should probably do this myself. Maybe another time?" Kise's eyes glinted and Kuroko shook his head with a knowing smile.

"You may live to regret that, Kagami-kun."

…

"So. Do you guys have any idea when you're going to be leaving?"

"Nope. We go when Akashicchi tells us to. Why? Do you want us to go?" His eyes were teasing and he ran his fingers through Kagami's thick hair again, the redhead's body locked tight against his.

Little bit.

"No, I was just curious, that's all."

"You don't sound too convinced, Kagami-kun." He blushed. "And Kise-kun, whilst I understand you're taking liberties now that Aomine-kun is away…-"

"You don't understand, Kurokocchi! I won't ever get a chance like this again! I need to make the most of it." He looked earnestly at Kagami.

"Please don't tell Aominecchi!"

"Don't worry. My lips are sealed."

Kuroko watched as the blonde tugged Kagami flush against him in the chair. The redhead complained somewhat but gave up quickly, having already determined that Kise was going to do what he wanted. Which, in this case, was pet him like a treasured pet, nuzzling his neck softly and whispering quiet questions.

Oh Kise-kun. I understand more than you could ever know.

…

"So what are your plans for the time we are away, Kagami-kun?"

"…get ready. Because like it or not"-

Kagami shut Aomine's voice out of his head, forcing himself to stay calm. Kise made a comforting noise in the back of his throat.

"What's wrong, Kagamicchi? You went stiff." The blonde was perceptive. Even more so than he'd initially assumed. He seemed to excel at a lot of things.

"I was…just thinking about all the cleaning I'll have to do once you guys are gone." Kise laughed.

"You're right. That's enough to make anyone freak out! Still, taking on the workload of all those servants…that's gutsy." Kagami shrugged.

"I did what seemed right to me at the time."

"Does it still feel right?" Kuroko asked, genuinely interested in his answer. The redhead didn't hesitate.

"Of course. Anything to give those guys freedom. They didn't deserve to be treated like that. No one does." Kuroko nodded.

"I would have to agree with you there."

* * *

Murasakibara and Midorima ended up leaving late that night instead, without a word. Kagami only noticed in the morning when he got up early to help Marisa deal with huge workload that came with feeding Murasakibara.

"No, no pet!" She pushed him out of the kitchen. "There's no need. Murasakibara-sama left last night. I can handle things from here. You just sit down, okay? Rest up." Kagami opened his mouth to say something but then thought better of it.

There's no point opening THAT can of worms.

He touched his bandages self-consciously then went to the dining room where Kise and Kuroko were. They both looked up when he entered, each with a welcoming smile.

"Kagamicchi! How good are you at poker?" He smiled.

"It depends whose asking."

The cleaning could wait.

Elsewhere…

She closed the door of her humble cottage behind her, locking it because her mother always nagged at her to do so but not because she felt any threat. She was home, in the countryside. Nothing ever happened out here. The biggest threat to her life was now a distant memory.

All because of him…

The past weeks had been a dream. She was terrified that she would wake up, and go back to living in fear, not knowing when she'd be attacked. But every time she woke up, she saw the thatched roof of her own little home; a far cry from the luxury she'd been living in, even as a servant in his household.

But infinitely better.

She clutched her basket closer to her, sights set on visiting her mother. The older woman had caught a cold and she planned on spending her day taking care of her. She had packed an assortment of food for her to nibble on as she took care of her and the house. The dairy cow needed milking, the chicken coop needed sweeping, the-

"Madam? Madam?"

She turned around to see a tall man walking beside her as she crossed the bridge to walk into the village.

"Yes, sir?"

"Madam, if I could have a moment of your time?"

She looked uncertainly up at him. He didn't appear to be threatening. If anything, his eyes were kind.

"I'm in a bit of a hurry…"

"I promise, it shouldn't take more than a minute or so."

"Well, alright then. What can I help you with?" She would milk the cow first, as she got fussy later on in the day-

"How long did you work for Aomine Daiki before you were dismissed?"

…

"Now where is that gir-" She sneezed, dabbing at her nose. "Ah, this cold!"

She heard a knock at the door and forced herself out of bed, hobbling towards the door.

"Come in, my child. It isn't like yo-oh!" She looked out, seeing no one there then looked down and fainted dead away.

* * *

It was hours before a neighbour came to check on her and found her unconscious on her own doorstep behind a line of bloodied food containers, their contents still slightly warm.

It was days before the village police finally began to look for the woman's missing daughter, once they deemed her frightened pleas to be more serious than exaggerated ramblings of a 'deranged, old woman'.

It was weeks before they found her severed, mottled head floating along in a basket, over a hundred miles from where she was killed.

It was over a month before the Miracles found out.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER: 15

Kagami hadn't believed it was possible. But despite everything going on in his currently dysfunctional life…

He was having fun.

And he had Kise, Momoi and Kuroko to thank for that.

The three were going out of their way to make sure he was kept entertained. This was partly a direct manifestation of their affection; that much was obvious even to Kagami. Kuroko was extremely subtle with it, to the extent that the redhead still believed his feelings to be strictly platonic. After the intimacy they had shared at the Akashi household, there was no mistaking Momoi's feelings for him but she was incredibly respectful and never overstepped her boundaries. It made Kagami like her even more than he already did. And Kise…

…well, Kise was Kise.

And as Kagami was quickly discovering, sometimes that was the easiest way to explain the blonde and his actions.

Momoi came to Aomine's sprawling mansion whenever she could which, unfortunately, wasn't nearly as often as neither her nor Kagami would have liked. But she made up for her lack of physical presence with frequent calls and text messages, constantly asking how he was and updating him on how things were going her end.

And when she wasn't in touch, Kuroko and Kise more than compensated for her absence…

"What are you cooking today, Kagamicchi?" The tall, beautiful blonde bounded into the kitchen where Kagami was, Kuroko coming in slowly after him. Kagami was half-inside the cupboard under the sink, looking for a skillet and Kise whistled at the view. There was a dull thump as Kagami's head hit the bottom of the sink and he came out, pressing a hand to his injured skull, his eyes watering.

"Honestly Kise…was that necessary?"

"Mmmm…yup!" Kagami sighed. "But I'm sorry you hurt your head." He advanced stealthily towards Kagami who took a precautionary step back. "If you want, I can kiss it better?"

"No thanks…" Kise seemed saddened by this, but not defeated.

"Good morning, Kagami-kun."

"Morning Kuroko!" he beamed.

"Would you like help with breakfast?"

"No, I should be good." He turned to Kise. "To answer your previous question," He reached out for Kagami again and the redhead held up a hand. "Not that one. I'm making pancakes." He looked happy regardless.

"I love pancakes!"

"I'm happy to hear that," he smiled. "Now go sit down. I'll bring the tea and stuff in a couple of minutes." Kise disappeared immediately but Kuroko stayed a while, looking around the kitchen.

"Where is Marisa-san this morning?"

"Oh, she's a bit sick so I'm gonna go look after her after I've finished this."

"If you'd allow it, I can attend to her while you cook breakfast-"

"Oh honestly, Kuroko!" He waved his hands. "I can do it. Don't worry about it-"

"I promise you Kagami-kun, it's absolutely no bother." Kagami opened his mouth to deny him again but then closed it, smiling instead.

"And I thought I was stubborn!"

"You still are, Kagami-kun." The redhead swiped at him playfully but of course, Kuroko easily dodged.

"Do you know where her room is? I can take you-"

"It's fine, Kagami-kun. I'll find it. You should just focus on getting Kise-kun something to eat before he starts compl-"

"KAGAMICCHI!" His voice rung throughout the house and the redhead rolled his eyes, picking up a whisk.

"Good idea. I'll see you at breakfast, then."

...

Kagami got to work, whipping up a bowlful of pancake batter, chopping up fruit, frying bacon and making tea. He took the freshly-brewed tea out, along with some pastries he and Marisa had prepared for baking the night before and a rack of toast.

"Here, here, you can stop whining now…" he joked, putting setting the trays down and turning around to bring in the butter and jams for the toast. He didn't make it far.

"What now, Kise?" He sighed heavily but deep down, he couldn't deny that the blonde's clinginess had started to grow on him.

A lot.

He had no idea how he managed it, but he now found the fully-sized alpha's constant pawing and whining almost…endearing.

I lose a bit more of my sanity every damn day here…

"You're so good at stuff, Kagamicchi…" He pulled the surprised omega towards him, seating him in his lap and nuzzling his neck. Kagami straddled him carefully, trying not to press against him where possible.

"I mean…I-I do try…" He struggled to keep his tone steady as the blonde nipped playfully at his jumping pulse.

"Are you scared?" he asked lowly, as if trying not to scare him. Kagami thought for a moment.

Really thought.

"…no. No I'm not…not of you."

Kise didn't scare him at all.

Though physically, the alpha posed a very real, very serious threat to almost anyone, it was clear to him that he'd found an ally in the blonde.

Kise made a deep, pleased noise and Kagami could detect a sweetness in his scent that hadn't been there before.

But he also felt Kise's arms tighten around his waist and an increased hardness against his crotch.

"I can't wait for you to be our omega…" His voice was warm…sultry. He probably meant it as a compliment.

Kagami wasn't flattered.

"Uh-mmmm…" The blonde leaned back slightly, watching his crimson eyes carefully.

"You don't like that…?" It was less of a question and more of a tentative statement, as if waiting for his affirmation.

"I…" he sighed, deciding to be straight-forward, like always. "No. I don't." Kise seemed unhappy, but more for him than for himself.

"I can't say I get you…" Kagami smiled sadly.

"It's okay. I don't expect you to. I'm used to it-"

"But I'll try to make things as comfortable as possible for you. Just tell me what to do." He smiled at him, a dazzling smile like the morning sun on a cloudless day. Kagami was deeply touched and still slightly baffled that an alpha like him was so…

Accommodating?

Approachable?

Nice?

"I appreciate that, Kise…I honestly do…I guess I just need to come to terms with everything, that's all…"

There was a lot more to it than that but there was no need to burden him with all the details. Besides, they were probably going to disappear in a few days. He could think through his next steps after they'd gone and get back to him with something more solid once they had returned.

"If you're sure…"

"I'm sure." He smiled with a bit of effort but it was sincere. "Promise."

"Good…" Kise sounded…distracted. Kagami watched as his heavy, topaz gaze dropped from his eyes to his lips. "Your smile is pretty…" He leaned in closer, eyelids shuttering. "So pretty…"

"Kise-kun, Aomine-kun wants to speak to you." The blonde leaned back again, this time with obvious irritation, like a child who'd been denied their favourite toy.

Because that's what I am to them, right? A toy…

He clambered out of Kise's lap before he could stop him and headed straight for the door and Kise received a tongue-lashing on the phone.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO KEEP YOUR DIRTY PAWS OFF HIM?!

"Aominecchi…" he whimpered, lowering his head.

"Kagami-kun?" The redhead turned, looking apologetic.

"Sorry…I-there wasn't…we weren't…you know…"

"There's no need to apologise to me, Kagami-kun." He smiled but for some reason Kagami persisted.

"Maybe not. But I still want to. Besides finding me like that all the time probably doesn't leave the best impression…"

"I assure you Kagami-kun, my impression of you is fairly concrete at this point." Kagami looked away.

"Is it any good…?"

"It depends on what you perceive to be…'good'…" Something told Kagami not to look. Told him that he was better off not knowing.

But this was Kagami: action first, thoughts later. Much later.

He only saw a flash in Kuroko's eyes but it was enough. He lowered his eyes, feeling a blush creeping up his neck.

"Oh…I-I…-" Kuroko put a hand on his and the action made him look up. He saw only understanding there.

"Don't worry too much about it, Kagami-kun. I apologise for-"

"Don't!" he said quickly before blushing harder. "It's not…" Kuroko smiled.

"You are very kind, Kagami-kun. Too kind."

"So are you." Kuroko smiled again but neither agreed nor disagreed.

"If you like, we can continue this conversation after breakfast-"

"I would! Like that…I mean…" He wanted to drop his face in his hands, he was so embarrassed.

"After breakfast it is then. You should probably get back to it…" There were a few moments of incomprehension on Kagami's part before understanding dawned.

"Oh fuc-crap! The pancakes! Yeah, um, after breakfast…"

He hurried away as Kuroko walked over to the cowering blonde, to help him plead his case. Both he and Kagami felt like there was greater understanding between them now but they also knew things had become much more complicated.

Still, Aomine-kun's assessment was highly accurate…

He is incredibly cute.

* * *

Aomine tossed the phone away from him, forgetting his own strength for a moment. The phone would have been set to meet an untimely end against the white plaster had Akashi not caught it between his thumb and forefinger, raising an eyebrow.

"Was the temper tantrum truly necessary, Daiki?" He growled, sitting back heavily in his chair as Murasakibara and Midorima carefully monitored the multiple security screens in front of them, eyes darting from screen to screen, taking in every last detail. Every now and then, Midorima scribbled something down on a pad of paper, in his neat, precise handwriting.

They were in the middle of a stake-out, having finally located the group's main den. They had managed to get one of their betas to infiltrate but had heard nothing since she had finished bugging their hideout. The natural assumption was that she had been caught and killed. But that wouldn't explain why the cameras were still up and running. For now, all they could do was watch the live footage, hoping to get more of an insight on their next plan of action.

"Fuck yeah it is!" Akashi didn't respond, sitting opposite him and crossing one leg over the other. He propped his elbow on the arm of the chair, resting his head in his open palm and watched his younger brother. Just watched him.

"What is it?!" Aomine snapped.

"I don't recall saying anything Daiki…" He crossed his arms, face like thunder and leaned back in his chair, staring resolutely at the screens.

"Whatever. I know you want to." Akashi smiled tightly. Silence fell over the dark room and they sat in it patiently, handsome faces bathed in the electronic glow of the monitors.

"But how did you know, Mine-chin?" Aomine snorted with a sardonic roll of his eyes.

"You do know this is Kise we're talking about, right?"

They all hummed in agreement.

* * *

"That was delicious, Kagamicchi! You're such an amazing cook!" Kagami coloured faintly at the compliment.

"Thanks, Kise. I'm glad you liked it!"

"I must agree, Kagami-kun. That was superb." Kagami blushed a lot darker.

"Thanks…thanks Kuroko…" This difference in reaction didn't escape Kise's notice but he didn't comment on it. Kagami cleared his throat a touch awkwardly then stood up abruptly. "Well, I'll just clean up and then we can do…whatever…"

"Poker…?" Kise suggested cautiously.

"What, so you can get your ass whooped again?" Kagami scoffed, his tone light and teasing.

"I'm getting better!" he insisted, going on the defensive. Kagami laughed.

"Whereas Kagami-kun seems to be getting progressively worse. He shall soon realise that luck can only carry him so far-"

"Alright! You've made your point!" he snapped, face red. "No poker! We'll think of something else…maybe going for a walk…?" They could both here the quiet hope in his voice and neither wanted to crush it.

But the reality was there was no chance of that. Kise was still smarting from Aomine's verbal attack over an hour before and that was only for being too 'friendly' with Kagami. Neither wanted to think of what he'd do if he found out they'd directly defied him and taken Kagami outside. And Akashi likely wouldn't be pleased either.

"We can discuss our options afterwards…" Kuroko said carefully and he saw the disappointment flash in Kagami's eyes. It hurt.

"Would you like any help-"

"Don't even try it!" Kagami picked up the plate-laden tray, holding it close to himself. I told you, I need to get used to all of this. And you're guests here. I couldn't make you do that-"

"We might be guests, but we're your friends first, Kagamicchi!"

His words were simple and yet so powerful. Kagami felt his throat close up slightly and quickly picked up the tray and half ran to the door.

"Yeah, yeah. If you're any friend of mine, you'll park it right there until I'm done."

"Aye, aye captain!" Kise saluted with a grin at Kuroko as he disappeared. It wasn't a lot but hopefully, their friendship would ease the pain of his loss of freedom at least a little bit.

...

"Okay, woah. Woah."

"Right?" Kise laughed. "And this is just the west wing."

Once one managed to come to terms with how extravagant Aomine's abode was, the magnificence of the building became mind-blowing. There was room after room after room with just about everything a person could want whilst being at home.

The dude has an aquarium. I think that says enough.

The more he saw of the mansion -and even that word didn't seem to be cutting it anymore- the more amazed he was.

I think it's even bigger than-

"So, Kagami-kun, do you like it?"

"Is it the biggest house you've ever seen?!" Kagami nodded, still awed.

"Pretty sure it is…" Kise crossed his arms and nodded proudly.

"That's Aominecchi for you!"

"So…how…? Honestly, I've got so many questions."

"Ask away, Kagami-kun." They stopped to sit in his mini-courtyard, located about 200 metres from the main part of the house. After seeing all that he had in the past hour and a half, he didn't feel so bad about having to stay inside. The house was so gigantic he doubted he'd ever be able to get bored.

"Okay, first question. How the hell does he manage to keep this entire place clean? Like even with the maids that went…"

"As far as I know, the maids were only for the main house. The rest is basically Tanaka-"

"Tanaka?!" Kagami's eyes looked like they'd fall out of his head. "But he's ancient!"

"Don't let him hear you say that," Kise laughed. "Honestly, Tanaka's the best. Like he's been Aominecchi's family butler for over fifty years and it's like he gets better with age. Akashicchi tried to poach him but he wouldn't leave Aominecchi-"

"Wait…but they're brothers…? If he's the family butler then…-"

"I thought you knew!" Kise looked guilty. "Momoicchi said she told you about their history…"

"Oh, you mean his…oh…" Kagami ended, feeling uncomfortable. That explained the depth of Tanaka's eyes. He looked like he couldn't be fazed by anything and Kagami wondered how much he'd had to have seen for his eyes to look so…experienced…

I wonder if he'd tell me anything about Aomine's past...-

And why the hell do you want to know anyway?

Kagami's cheeks coloured. That was a very good question. Why did he want to know?

"Kagami-kun?"

"O-Oh, don't mind me! I was just…thinking about stuff…"

"Looks painful." Kagami shot him a look and he giggled. "Joking!" Kuroko shook his head with a smile.

"Kise-kun failed to mention before, but there are also staff quarters on the outskirts of Aomine-kun's household. They deal with everything besides the main house. So, if you like, there are two teams-a smaller one for the main house and a larger one for the wings and grounds." Kagami nodded.

"That makes a lot more sense." He shot Kise another look which made the blonde grin sheepishly. "I couldn't imagine Tanaka having to look after all this himself-"

"Well," Kuroko mused contemplatively, "he likely could…but it would mean he would have less time to serve in the main house." Kagami blinked at him, mouth slack.

"You're joking, right? All this?" Kuroko's periwinkle eyes danced.

"Perhaps I am. But I recall you saying you had questions, plural. What else would you like to know?"

Kagami had plenty and the alpha pair answered them as best they could but a lot of questions regarding the house itself were partly deferred.

"You'd probably get a much better answer from Tanaka-san. He was here when the construction began and has served here ever since so there is little he wouldn't know about it."

"Now that you mention it…" Kagami began then paused, a touch uncertain.

"Don't hold back, Kagami-kun. Feel free to ask whatever you'd like."

"Well…I'm just wondering…I mean obviously, you guys are but…"

"Spit it out Kagamicchi! It isn't like you not to say what's on your mind." Kagami inhaled quickly.

"I'm just wondering, how much do you guys make to be building houses this big? Because this is really big…" he added, as though the fact wasn't blatantly obvious. Kise waved a hand.

"Is that it? I mean, I didn't peg you as a gold-digger-"

"Like hell I am!" he snapped.

"But we make a lot. Maybe enough to have houses like this…?" He looked at Kuroko questioningly and the other man thought for a moment before nodding.

"Construction aside, the maintenance of such a place would take a huge financial toll. However, our positions and Aomine's differ significantly for two reasons."

"Oh? Really?"

"Indeed. The first is that many of the staff who work here are unpaid." Kagami's eyebrows sky-rocketed.

"They are?! WHY? Trust Aomine…" he tutted but Kuroko shook his head.

"This is through no fault of Aomine-kun's. In fact, if I remember correctly he tried to force them into contracts a few years back to make them accept pay."

"He did?" Kuroko nodded.

"But you understand Aomine-kun's legal capacity is limited at best so he didn't get very far. The only one's who could have helped in on that front were Akashi-kun, Momoi-san and Tanaka-san. The former candidates were ruled out as they didn't want to interfere with his family affairs and the latter because he was one of the people Aomine-kun was trying to force-"

"Okay, wait, wait, wait. Let me get this straight, Tanaka isn't paid to be the best butler ever?"

"Correct," Kuroko said.

"As in, not a single dime?"

"Yup!" Kise replied.

"So why…"

"Loyalty is an incredibly powerful thing, Kagami-kun. Incredibly powerful."

It knocked Kagami for six. Tanaka did all he did, put up with all Aomine's mood-swings and foul habits…out of loyalty. What the hell had Aomine done to deserve the undying devotion of someone as wonderful as Tanaka-

"Wait, what about Marisa?"

"The same applies. Well, she allows him to give her a gift on holidays but aside from that…"

"No way…" Kagami leaned back against the bench, blinking as he tried to wrap his head around it all. But then he realised.

"Hold up a sec…you said there were two things, right?"

"I did," Kuroko agreed with a nod. "The second is that when Aomine's blood-parents passed, they left him with a significant inheritance."

"And by significant…?" Kagami started then wondered if he'd gone too far. He was asking about Aomine's finances now, and a part of him worried if that was too private.

"I mean," Kise responded easily. "We don't have exact numbers but this..." he gestured around him at the incredible building that surrounded them. "It didn't make too much of a dent in it."

Kagami's jaw dropped.

* * *

"And that concludes our tour. How did you find it, Kagami-kun?"

"Insane. It's just so…"

"Lavish!" Kise finished. "Honestly, Aominecchi's house is the best. If I were him, I'd never leave home!"

"That doesn't surprise anyone, Kise-kun. Especially based on your attendance at work-"

"HEY!" Kagami watched them bicker but in his mind, he was thinking hard.

He never talks about his blood-family but they left him a fortune that would put almost anyone to shame.

He blows all this money on a mega-mansion that he hardly spends time in.

He has personality problems no therapist could ever solve but he also has staff who've worked for him for half a century forfree.

I just don't get it. It doesn't add up. He doesn't add up.

Why do you care so much anyway?

I…I don't know…

Why did he care? Because it gave him something to do? Because he wanted to prove that Aomine was righteously fucked-up in the head by his own design? Because he was curious? Or…

Something else…?-

He blinked as he felt a hand on his forehead and saw faux-concerned golden eyes on him.

"You're burning up!" he exclaimed. "Don't tell me…are you thinking again-" He dodged Kagami's well-aimed swipe with lightning speed, laughing the whole time and Kagami rolled his eyes.

"You act like you're so much smarter-"

"I might be dumb, Kagamicchi, but you're dumber-"

"HEY!"

Tanaka watched them argue with a smile. He was truly happy to see that Kagami was still able to operate normally despite all that he'd had to face up to in the past month or so, and he was saddened that the two alphas would have to be leaving soon. He hoped he'd be able to find a way to keep Kagami entertained while they were gone.

"Gentlemen, would you like a late lunch? Or perhaps tea before supper?" The day had gone by faster than any of them had been prepared for, with the hour hand already inching past four.

"Oh no, Tanaka! Don't worry about it, I'll handle it!"

"But Kagami-san, you've been walking around the whole day. You must be tired." He couldn't believe Tanaka was talking to him about being tired after knowing all that he did now.

"No seriously Tanaka, I'll get dinner sorted. I've done basically nothing today, anyway, I'm itching to do something." Tanaka tried to insist but Kagami pushed him gently out of the room.

"I'm serious, I'll do it! You just rest for a while. I'll let you know when I'm done." Tanaka whirled round quickly and Kagami prepared himself for more resistance so he was surprised when the elderly man bowed with a smile.

"As you wish, Kagami-san." Kagami grinned.

"One more thing by the way." Tanaka stopped in his tracks.

"Yes, Kagami-san?"

"Just Kagami is good." Tanaka bowed again, an almost teasing smile on his warm face.

"I shall do my best to remember that…Kagami."

Kagami went straight to the kitchen, looking through the multitude of cupboards for some cooking inspiration. He was just starting to formulate a plan when he heard steps behind him.

"What did I tell you guys? I'm good here. Go wait in the living room!" Strong arms wrapped around his waist and he rolled his eyes with a slight smile.

"But I'm bored."

"Yeah, go be bored somewhere else." He could almost hear Kise's pout and struggled not to chuckle. The blonde really was something else.

"Kise-kun, why don't you go and have a shower? I believe Momoi-san left some new bath oils-"

"She did?! Why didn't you tell me earlier, Kurokocchi!" Kise safely distracted for the next hour or so, Kagami sighed in relief.

"Thanks, man. God knows Kise can be stubborn when he wants to be."

"Hypocrisy at its finest." Kagami coloured. "Kagami-kun, are you sure I can't help you in some way-"

"You call me a hypocrite but you're as stubborn as I am!" He laughed. "If you're so desperate…would you mind checking on Marisa again for me? I want to know if she's doing any better. And, now that I think about it, if you could ask her if she wants me to cook something specific for her for dinner, that would be great." Kuroko nodded.

"Not a problem, Kagami-kun."

"Awesome! Thanks-oh, by the way, is vanilla tea okay?" He waved the tea-pot.

"Vanilla is better than okay, Kagami-kun."

"Great!" He'd get dinner started and then get the tea going.

...

Dinner was bubbling away and smelling delicious.

If I do say so myself.

He grabbed a spoon to taste the stew and hummed in appreciation at the wonderful flavours in his mouth.

"Marisa-san misses you." Kagami nearly choked on the spoon, his eyes tearing up.

"Damn Kuroko! Give me a warning next time you want to play ghost, okay?!"

"I apologise Kagami-kun. It wasn't my intention to scare you."

"You look like you're lying. You sound like you're lying too." The playful mirth in Kuroko's eyes confirmed Kagami's suspicions. "The tea's nearly ready. Go sit down and I'll bring it in. I made some sandwiches too but now that I think about it, it's probably a bit too late for them. Oh, by the way, did Marisa say she wanted anything?"

"Apart from wanting to see you, no. She said she would be happy to eat anything made by your hands."

"Did she?" He looked pleased. "Well, that's cool then! I'll take her her dinner and some tea once it's all ready. Give me a sec and I'll get everything ready."

Kuroko went ahead into the living room and sure enough, Kagami appeared a while later, bearing trays of goods.

"Kagami-kun?"

"Hmm?" He seemed to be chewing on one of the many sandwiches piled precariously on the tray in his left hand.

"Precisely how many people did you have in mind when you made those sandwiches?" He blushed.

"I mean…us three…?"

"I see." He swallowed and lowered his eyes, scratching the back of his head shamefacedly once he'd lowered the trays.

"I can wrap them up and save them for tomorrow-"

"Well, whilst you may have to do that in the end if you hope for any of your dinner to be eaten, I share Marisa-san's sentiments. I'm very happy to be able to eat anything prepared by you." The red on Kagami's face darkened and spread.

"Okay…" He sat down and looked around. Or anywhere that wasn't the handsome alpha across from him. "D-Do you want some tea?" He continued to avoid eye-contact and cursed himself for stuttering.

"If you wouldn't mind-"

"I don't!" he said quickly then blinked.

Was that voice…mine?

It sounded foreign; flustered and higher than usual.

Ignoring it, he reached out for the tea pot and started to pour Kuroko a cup of tea.

Or attempted to.

"Kagami-kun?"

"…HMM?"

"Your hands are…" Kagami glared at his trembling hands but they ignored him, doing as they pleased.

Traitors-

Kuroko laid a hand over his and he nearly dropped the tea-pot entirely.

"Whatar-" He took the delicate china from him and pour a cup for the both of them before setting it down safely. Handing Kagami one cup on a saucer, he took the other and sat back in his chair. His blue eyes were emotionless but not unfriendly.

"Is it about what I said this morning?" Kagami's perpetual blush worsened. "I see. I apologise for eve-"

"Don't!" Realising how forceful he sounded, he cleared his throat. "I-I mean…you don't have to feel bad about it." He sighed, putting down the cup and running a hand through his forever-errant hair. "It's me…I'm just really new to this kinda stuff and…"

"I completely understand, Kagami-kun. And I hope you realise that I'm not trying to push you into anything. That would never be my intention." Kagami nodded with an earnest smile.

"Of course I know that." He waved around him. "It's just all this has been a lot to take in and especially with Aomine-"

AOMINE?

"I-uh, it's better not to intentionally piss him off. For me, anyways…but for all I know, you probably enjoy messing with him." Kuroko smiled slightly.

"I would be lying if I denied that." He sipped the hot, sweet liquid. "And I perfectly agree with your viewpoint. It was too soon-"

"Listen," Kagami said kindly, "I don't even know what way is up right now, so I'm not in the position to be confirming or denying anything but…I'll think about it while you guys are away. And hopefully, by the time you guys are back, I'll have a more solid answer. That okay?"

"Better than okay." Kagami beamed at him, one of those glorious, sunny smiles that Kuroko had grown to associate with the redhead.

Had grown to love about him.

"Awesome-"

"So guys!" Kise burst into the room without much ado. "What are we talking about?"

"How annoying you are," Kagami answered with a mischievous smile and a sly, shared look with Kuroko.

"So mean, Kagamicchi!"

Meanwhile...

"What is our plan of action now, Akashi?"

They all sat in silence as the screens continued to glow behind them. No one turned to look.

In hindsight, they should have suspected a larger operation. Some of them -namely Akashi- probably had. Regardless, it hadn't been accounted for and now that they were forced to view the sickening reality of the situation, hindsight wasn't of much use.

The Rygos were merely drug suppliers. The fact that their role could be prefixed by merely suggested the scale of the newest problem.

Trafficking.

Of wolves and even humans.

Thousands were being illegally transported to and around China where they were sold as sex slaves to wealthy and corrupt government officials. The reason that they hadn't heard from their undercover beta probably had some sinister link to this greater issue. The drugs that the Rygos were peddling were used to drug and manipulate the innocents, to create a helpless dependency and make them easier to abuse.

It wasn't that they hadn't seen things like this before. But the scale was larger than anything they had yet to come across. However, the majority of the actual trafficking was taking place in China-with less than 10% of the victims coming from Japan; it was the drugs that were their main illegal export, which meant…

"It's not our problem. Dealing with it would be a pain." Murasakibara's harsh assessment was correct. It had little to nothing to do with them. They were only a regulatory body and besides their pack, the numbers of their core team were far eclipsed by those involved in the black-market trading. They would need more people and a lot more time.

"We are running on an extremely tight schedule as it is. This could be our best chance at taking down the Rygos group." Midorima wasn't agreeing...but he was agreeing.

They could just turn a blind eye to it. They had done before, when there was more than they could handle at the given time. Turn a blind-eye to it and focus on what they had set out to do. The trafficking could wait. They would come back to it later, after they had crushed the Rygos.

And yet…

And yet…

"Yo, Akashi." The redhead turned to his brother who had been otherwise silent as they assessed the situation.

"Daiki."

"I'm in charge of this whole thing, right?"

"That is correct." He looked at him with hidden curiosity and what some might have called…

Hope.

This ain't our problem. We can bust the drug ring and worry about the rest later.

It was sound reasoning. It made sense. And yet...

What if…what if he…

"Well then, giant." He smirked at Murasakibara, showing a hint of sharp canine that looked even more dangerous in the bluish hue of the monitors' light. "Today's your lucky day. We get to kill two birds with one stone. We're taking down both of 'em."

Murasakibara automatically looked at Akashi and for confirmation saw his thin lips curl into some semblance of a smile. The maroon eyes were trained on the sapphire of his brother's and the flinty determination he saw in them.

"It looks like we have received our orders, Atsushi. Let's get to work."

* * *

She was no fool. She had worked under Aomine for long enough to be able to smell trouble from miles away.

They were killing the other maids, one by one. She had figured it out after the second death. She had been particularly close to the victim and when none of her calls or messages had been acknowledged or responded to, she went to her family.

And was hit with the earth-shaking news of her death.

Someone was out to get them. And it was becoming increasingly clear that she would be next.

Her hand shook as she wrote, penning down everything she had found out in the past few days. They were moving fast, having already killed five of them in the past week and a half and she wasn't sure how much time she had left. She didn't understand how they were getting away with it as they weren't being particularly discreet about it but somehow, she had heard nothing about the killings on the news or even as whispers on the street. It made no sense but what she did suspect was that they were very serious about what they were after and they clearly had some kind of influence if they were able to get away with what they were doing.

I need to get this one to Tanaka as well…

Letter hastily penned, she quickly sealed it and slid it into her bra, heading down the road to her local post office. She would send it to one of the farmhouses on Aomine's land. Everyone knew Tanaka well there, and they would surely give the letter to him once they read what was inside.

She didn't make it.

"Madam? Madam?" Her blood ran cold but she pretended she hadn't been affected; pretended she hadn't even heard. Her footsteps didn't get slower nor did they get faster. She just kept going, almost on autopilot. What more could she do?

It was only as she had walked a few more yards that she realised she was bleeding. She looked down and saw a gaping hole in her chest. She opened her mouth to…

Cry? Scream? Call for help?

Blood dripped out instead and she fell heavily to her knees. A shadow loomed over her, blocking out the morning sun. The owner…tutting.

"Oh dear, oh dear…this won't do." He shredded up the letter in less than a second, some of the scraps of paper turning crimson from the blood. Her blood.

"No, this won't do at all…"

A week later…

"Kurokocchi?!"

"Kise-kun?" The pale wolf looked up to see the concerned blonde bounding towards him. "What's the matter?"

"Have you seen Kagamicchi anywhere?" Kuroko blinked.

"No, I don't think so. I assumed he was sleeping." He hadn't wanted to pry but he had noticed the redhead's absence. It wasn't normal for him to sleep until late but Kuroko had chosen to let that piece of information slide.

"But he's not in his room! Or Aominecchi's!" Kuroko hummed.

"Perhaps he's showering?"

"There's no one there. Kurokocchi, what if he's gone-"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Kise-kun. I highly doubt that's the correct conclusion to make from all this." He pushed himself easily out of his chair and left the room, heading towards the staircase. "Can't you smell him?"

"Well…no…I can but I can't…"

"Explain."

"It's like I'm not sure if it's just traces of his scent or him. It's…distorted…it isn't making sense. But he isn't where he's supposed to be and-"

"Kise, don't panic. It will be fine. We'll find him." They had to. If Aomine found out Kagami wasn't there…their heads would be on the chopping block.

They searched Aomine's room, Kagami's room and the rest of the floor. Nothing. They searched the floors below.

Nothing.

Kuroko couldn't deny his slight panic. How could Kagami suddenly go missing? He would've been able to detect his lack of presence, had he made a run for it.

And, though he tried to ignore it, the sentimental part of him had assumed Kagami had been enjoying their company.

Foolish.

"Let me call his phone." He did so. Several times.

No answer.

"It doesn't make sense…" he murmured as he saw flashes of genuine worry in Kise's golden eyes. "How could he just disappear like that?"

"I'm calling Momoicchi, maybe she'd know." He did so but the call wouldn't go through. He was about to send her a message when he got one from the pink-haired wolf first. She said she was in an important meeting and would call as soon as she was out.

Kise pocketed the phone, eyes darting nervously. He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and turned quickly to see Tanaka walking towards them with a genial smile.

"TANAKA!"

"Kise-sama, whatever is the matter?"

"Have you seen Kagamicchi?! We can't find him anywhere!"

"I'm afraid I haven't. But I will go and search for him now." The elderly man left to go and do just that and the other two found themselves alone, with their increasingly disturbing thoughts. At least on Kise's part. His imagination was growing wilder with the worry and Kuroko could see him start to really panic.

"Kise-kun, calm down. I assure you Kagami-kun is here somewhere-"

"Really? WHERE?" Kuroko stayed silent. "Aominecchi will kill us. And what if he's been kidnapped or he's hurt or-"

"Marisa-san," Kuroko called urgently as he saw the woman leaving the kitchen to disappear to her quarters. She jumped but didn't turn.

Kuroko found the reaction strange.

"Kuroko-sama?" she asked hesitantly. She remained standing with her back to him. He approached her carefully.

"Marisa-san, you wouldn't happen to have seen Kagami-kun anywhere today would you?" The minute change in her aura was unmissable. Kuroko exchanged a look with Kise. The blonde had noticed too.

"Marisa-sa-"

Then he caught it.

He saw the flash of claws and teeth out of the corner of his eye and knew he wasn't the only one.

"Where is he?"


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER: 16

"K-Kuroko-sama…" Her eyes darted nervously to Kise before settling back on the paler wolf. "Kuroko-sama, I'm truly sorry but I can't tell you that. It's for his-" She backed up slightly and nervously lowered her head as Kise growled, the natural reaction of any beta to an alpha asserting themselves, despite their considerably age gap. But it was the look in her kind eyes that really snapped Kuroko out of his trance. She looked genuinely fearful and Kuroko was ashamed that he'd even let things get this far.

"Please forgive us, Marisa-san. We didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. Kise-kun." The blonde was still out of it and Kuroko tugged him backwards sharply. "Kise-kun," he repeated, his tone getting heavier. Marisa stepped further back, feeling the air become charged. The last thing she wanted was a fight between the two alphas. She knew she wouldn't have a hope of controlling them and given the current situation, it could end up becoming very dangerous for more than just the two of them.

She looked around urgently for Tanaka but he had yet to reappear so, sucking in a breath, she approached them.

"Please…don't fight over this…the pheromones…they wouldn't be good…" Her eyes pleaded with both of them and Kuroko nodded, backing away from Kise eventually.

"You're right. Again, I apologise…-"

"Same here…" the blonde chimed in weakly, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry Marisa! I haven't acted like that since I was like acub…" She smiled, face awash with relief.

"It's not a problem, Kise-sama. Even I have to admit, I've never dealt with an omega so…strong…" She saw the blonde's eyes slit slowly and pressed on firmly. "Unfortunately, Kise-sama…Kuroko-sama…" She inhaled. "I can't allow you to see him. It would be far too dangerous, even if you have good intentions. As I said, he's an extreme case and I think things could quickly become overwhelming. Besides…he said he wants you to leave him be."

Kise let out a distressed whine as Kuroko processed this silently.

"Kagami-kun said that?" She nodded vigorously.

"Yes, he insisted he didn't want you seeing him like this. He would probably tell you as much himself if he could but…" She trailed off.

The wolf in Kuroko wanted to insist. He wanted to barge past Marisa, track Kagami down and…

Kagami-kun isn't an object. Kagami-kun is…Kagami-kun.

He was his friend. And he would respect his wishes.

* * *

A few days earlier…

Marisa had all but bounced back from her recent illness and she attributed her speedy recovery to Kuroko's attentive check-ups and Kagami's fabulous cooking. Now that she was back to 'peak physical fitness', she was able to continue showing Kagami the ropes when it came to maintaining the huge house. Though she was a cook first and foremost, having worked for Aomine for so long meant that she was made responsible for the maids when they had worked there. She had overseen all that they did and had helped where necessary. And in previous years, over a decade ago, she had done even more than they had when it came to tidying up after her demanding, young employer. Thus, she was well versed in all things cleaning.

It had been as they were doing the laundry that she noticed something wasn't right with Kagami. She'd been showing him which baskets were for what and giving him an overview of the entire washing process when she noticed she didn't have his full attention.

"Are you okay, sweetie?"

"YEAH!" he cried quickly, standing ramrod-straight with his arms at his sides like a soldier facing his lieutenant.

"At ease," she chuckled and he relaxed slightly. But the garment he had balled tightly in his hand hadn't escaped her notice. She didn't comment on it but took note of it quietly.

By dinner time, she had begun to form a conclusion. They had been cooking supper for the rest of the inhabitants of the main house and had been preparing a spice rub for the beef they were cooking. Kagami dumped the meat in, causing a mini-explosion that flung powder onto his face and hair and a yellowish, fragrant cloud to rise from the bowl.

"Now you see why I said one piece at a time?" She laughed as he nodded, looking remorseful and stood up on her tiptoes. "Here, bend down a bit, I'll clean you off." Her small hands worked quickly, dusting off the powder from his face and nimbly combing her fingers through his wild hair. As she did so, she felt him lean into her touch ever-so-slightly and made a noise in her throat.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing, angel. Now rub the seasoning in and try not to be too hard on it this time, okay?" Her eyes twinkled. "I'll be back in a minute." She didn't say anything about where she was going as she only lied when it was absolutely necessary.

Heading back to the laundry room, she quickly sorted through the piles of clothes there, nodding to herself. This confirmed it. Now all she needed to do was find out where.

The next day…

"Kagami…?"

"Hmmm?"

"We…need to talk…" Kagami set down his knife, wiping his hands on his apron. Both he and Marisa had woken up early -at her request- to prepare breakfast while the two alphas slept. Tanaka was no doubt in the wings, keeping everything looking spotless, as always.

"O-Oh, cool…" The subtle seriousness in her tone wasn't missed by him; it sounded out of place in the light, motherly voice he was used to. "What about?" She glanced around her briefly before taking his hand.

"Not here. Come with me, sweetie." She led him to her room, closing the door behind them and sitting on the bed. She patted the space beside her and Kagami took it, looking slightly anxious.

"What's wrong Maris-"

"Mari-chan…" she corrected with a smile and it put him at ease.

"Mari-chan," he repeated, "what's wrong?"

"Well actually…that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about." He looked even more lost than before so she decided to be straight-forward with it.

"I've noticed your behaviour has changed slightly in these past few days and it's made me come to a conclusion, but I just wanted to double-check that it was the correct one." Kagami felt a burning heat rise from his neck to the tips of his ears and did a good job of analysing the design on the bedspread. This erased any remaining doubt she had and she placed a soft hand over his, waiting until he finally looked at her.

"I was going to talk to you about this eventually but in hindsight, you've been here for long enough as it is. That was a mistake on my part; I should have spoken to you sooner and I wanted to but everything was so hectic…" She shook her head. "My excuses aside. As you know, I've worked for Aomine-sama for a long time so I've seen and looked after all the omegas he's been with. And by looking after-"

"My heats. I…I know…" Marisa squeezed his hand.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, my angel. It's the norm for omegas so there's no need to hide it, okay? I'll help you through it." Kagami said nothing but she didn't like what she saw in his eyes: humiliation...resentment...self-hatred...

* * *

It hadn't escaped her notice that Kagami despised his second gender and his feelings seemed to be deep-rooted in his psyche. She didn't know why exactly but she knew it was the main reason behind his total rejection of Aomine and everything he stood for. And Aomine hated rebellion, quite like his brother, so it was easy to see why they fought as much as they did.

And yet, Daiki-sama won't let him go…

A part of her had wanted Kagami to let his anger go and just…submit. Before she had gotten to know him, she had found the bullish stubbornness unnecessary and, quite frankly, rude. She hadn't been able to understand how an omega -any wolf for that matter- could be so openly disrespectful to Aomine and still be around to tell the tale. Her views were somewhat archaic, she could readily admit. She believed in submissive, respectful omegas, that supported their alphas regardless of the situation. That was the way she had been brought up, that was all she had known. As a beta, it was how she understood the dynamic between alphas and omegas. She wasn't envious of omegas, like many of the fickle young betas she had observed growing up when the wolves around her reached the age where they began to present, nor did she pity them as even more did. She just took them for what they were and left it at that.

However, her position in Aomine's household changed things, and the more omegas she had to tend to-

It wasn't just tending to. She had seen each and every one of them as they had come into the gigantic house, some wide-eyed in awe, some frightened, some even smug...excited that this was to be their new life.

Of course, none of them lasted.

Once they had gone through a couple of heats, they disappeared. Aomine got rid of them.

There was some falsehood in the threats he'd been filling Kagami's head with. The chances of him actually killing Kagami were unlikely.

Highly unlikely.

Marisa herself had never seen him kill an omega knowingly. What he did outside the house was beyond her jurisdiction but in their house, it had never happened. Aomine actually gave them a lot of liberties whilst they were there. It was a mutual understanding: in exchange for their bodies they could do as they pleased provided they didn't leave the house.

It was almost a cycle: a new omega would arrive, however reluctant initially, Aomine would break them in, their desire to remain at the house would grow and by the end of it they would be desperate to stay but Aomine would have long since grown tired of them. And it would repeat itself. Again, and again, and again…

Marisa had stopped counting after a while. She had instead just diligently performed her role: getting them comfortable in the house; tending to them during their heats if Aomine wasn't there; caring for them if they were ever unfortunate enough to have a run-in with Aomine after he had been drinking…

And that had shifted her viewpoint. Now she did feel sorry for them. It couldn't be an easy life, that had to be an emptiness to it. But in saying that, she had to remind herself that they weren't the standard. There were omegas that met alphas -or betas- and found love. Life-mates. Omegas that bonded. Led happy lives. What she saw in that big, grand, mansion wasn't the standard, Aomine wasn't the standard. Things were just different. She understood that Aomine wasn't able to have that life for himself given the constant risk.

But it didn't stop her wanting it for him. Wanting him to find real happiness.

It was her protective nature that had made her dislike Kagami. Seeing the frustration on Aomine's handsome face whenever he finished arguing with the redhead made her feel hostile towards him. However, once she finally met him, she realised she had misjudged him completely.

Now, her sentiments remained unchanged. She would still prefer that he would submit. But her reasoning differed strongly. She had come to love Kagami as though he was her own and she didn't want him to suffer more than he had to. However, knowing how proud he was, sometimes she wondered if biting his tongue and letting Aomine do as he pleased was the easy way out for him. The longer she stayed around him, the more she doubted the ideals that she had once seem as normal…acceptable…

So yes, she didn't know why Kagami hated his gender so deeply but she was going to do all she could to make things better for him, in whatever way she could.

* * *

"Don't make that face, my sweet." She chucked him gently under the chin and it snapped him out of whatever thoughts he'd been having, the negativity disappearing from his aura.

"Do you blame me?" Marisa carefully avoided answering, changing the subject somewhat.

"When did you start your heats?" He closed his eyes for a moment.

"When I was thirteen…?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, you were an early-bloomer!" He blushed heavily and she squeezed his arm. "Don't be embarrassed! I'm not surprised, you're so healthy and strong." Then she did something unexpected. She leaned forward, putting her nose in his neck and inhaled deeply. Kagami started in surprise momentarily but then relaxed completely, letting her do her thing. He had no clue what he intentions were, but trusted her completely. She could sense that trust and felt both honoured and pleased that he had extended it to her. She knew how jumpy he was when it came to people touching him so to feel absolutely no resistance -if anything, what she sensed in his aura was something closer to welcoming- was a wonderful feeling.

"Not you too. I get enough of this from Kise…" he groaned.

"I'm certain that my intentions and Kise-sama's are worlds apart," she muttered drily and Kagami laughed, shaking her slightly given the position.

"So? What's wrong with me, Doctor?" She smacked him lightly on the arm.

"You've got a serious case of sass but thankfully, it's treatable." They both laughed. "Now onto my actual diagnosis…" She sat back, fixing her eyes on his. "Your scent is starting to return, and rapidly at that. I don't know whether it's coming back too soon as I haven't seen Aomine-sama claim someone before-"

"You haven't?" Kagami looked slightly disbelieving. She hummed pensively.

"Well, he tried with Satsuki-sama when they were still cubs, at her instruction mind you, but she started crying as soon at the first sight of blood so I don't think that counts…"

Kagami digested this information for a moment. The thought of Aomine claiming omegas on a whim disturbed him but nowhere near as much as the thought that he'd only done it to him. Because if the latter was true, it meant that there was something he was doing to trigger it, and he didn't want to be living his life on the edge during his stay here, constantly worried that Aomine would suddenly attack and he'd die from major blood loss. Things were hard enough as they were already.

He shook his head.

It probably didn't mean much as the other wolf had been running on instincts when he'd done it and had subsequently nearly killed him in the process. Provided that all he had heard was true -and when it came to Aomine, determining fact from fiction was very much a mixed bag- the bluenette wouldn't do it again. Still, the fact that he hadn't done it before seemed unlikely.

You don't go around doing that to people you've only just met…then again, I doubt behaving normally is high on that idiot's list of priorities…

"Right…"

"But based on what I know about claims and Aomine's strength as a wolf…he's very…" she made a kind of lofty gesture with her hand, "pure-bred…pedigree…and incredibly strong too. So I would've expected the claim to last at least another month. And yet here we are…" She leaned in and sniffed again but this time didn't move as far back. Kagami was comforted by her close proximity. "It's like it gets stronger by the second. And that makes me wonder…"

"Y-Yeah?" Kagami looked away shiftily as her normally soft eyes bored into his.

"When was the last time you had your heat?"

"...Like…five, six months ago?" She clucked her tongue disapprovingly and shook her head.

"Come on, I wasn't born yesterday. Try again." Kagami murmured something under his breath and her ears twitched.

"Come again, pet?"

"…years…"

"Kagami!"

"A couple of years, okay? One, two…I don't know…" He looked slightly cornered, almost ashamed, and she felt bad for putting him in that position.

"Kagami, I'm not mad at you, alright? I'm just worried…even a year is a very long time to be going on suppressants without taking any breaks and I know it was probably longer than that…" He didn't try to deny it. "And so you figured that now was the best time to break your suppressant streak as you were sure Aomine-sama wouldn't be here. Am I on the right track?" Kagami's ears reddened and he nodded.

"Y-Yeah…I know it might hit me a bit stronger this time around and the fact that Kise and Kuroko are still here means there's no chance Aomine could turn up 'cause they haven't even been called away yet."

"Did you tell them about it?"

"N-NO!" he spluttered. "Why would I do that?!"

"Because you seem to be quite close to them and they're both alphas-" His face exploded with colour.

"I-I've never asked…I-I mean…I don't-I wouldn't-"

"You've never asked an alpha for help during a heat before?" He shook his head rapidly. "Would you want to?" He repeated the action with even more vigour than before. "I see. I suspected as much. But still, it might be a better idea to let them know…more for your safety than anything else." It took Kagami a moment to determine what she was alluding to but when he did, his face went an even darker shade of red which Marisa found just as endearing as all the other shades he had displayed.

I do feel sorry for him…of course I do…but heavens, he's so adorable…

"I don't think they'd be like that…"

"Of course not intentionally!" Marisa agreed. "They both adore you. However, your scent is extremely strong and very…"

Alluring? Enticing? Hypnotising? The most delicious thing I've ever smelt?

"I can see them being very drawn to it," she said simply, "so if they came across it without knowing what to expect…it could be risky for you. I think you should. Just so that they're prepared." Kagami seemed reluctant.

"It's just that…I kind of don't want to draw any more attention to the fact that I'm an omega. It could…change things…" Marisa nodded, letting him speak. "I kind of just…wanted to do it quietly…like without them finding out…" She smiled sympathetically. She could more than see his point of view. She knew how he felt about being an omega as it was and he likely didn't want to highlight that fact to the two alphas he now called friends.

She was right. Kagami worried that bringing up something so intimate would change things between them…make things more uncomfortable. Especially as he knew both of them had some form of attachment to him that went beyond the boundaries of friendship. It was like he'd said to Kuroko: he wasn't in the position to be thinking about anything remotely romantic until he came to grips with his new life so to throw his heat into the mix just seemed like an extremely poor move.

"You're right…you're right. If anything, I'm sorry for approaching this the wrong way-"

"NO!" Kagami exclaimed, grabbing her hand though she'd made no move to take it away. "I'm really…really grateful that you came to talk to me about it. I didn't know how much I wanted someone to discuss it with and…you've been pretty amazing…thanks Maris-Mari-chan…" He smiled shyly at her and her heart melted.

She wanted to keep him forever.

"You're too sweet for your own good!" she sighed, hugging him tightly and passing a hand through his hair. He made a contented noise as the touch and she continued. Kagami's increased displays of affection were a definite plus side to his heats but she couldn't help but wonder how he'd managed all these years as a rogue. It was hard for anyone but for an omega…exceptionally so.

Well, I'll make up for it now…

* * *

"Hmm?"

"Nothing, angel." They had shifted position, so now she sat with his head in her lap as she stroked his hair. Every now and again, he'd make this noise that made her want to squeal. She couldn't put it into words…

If a dog could purr, it would sound like that. A big dog or a wolf…or maybe just a big cat…a tiger…?

Whatever it was, she loved it and made it her mission to hear more of the same. Plus, she felt the position would make it easier for Kagami to discuss the more personal aspects his upcoming heats. She knew he was easily embarrassed and hoped that the lack of eye contact would ease the feelings somewhat. It meant she wouldn't get to see his adorable blush as easily but she understood that in life, sometimes sacrifices needed to be made.

"So, we've already established that you don't want any outside help, which is good. That's one of the major things out of the way." She had modified her scent to be as relaxing as possible and it looked to be having a positive effect on the redheaded omega. He was basically putty in her hands and she could have sworn she saw his eyelids droop more than once.

"But let's go back to the basics. I think we'll start with the details of the actual heat itself, if that's okay, sweet?"

"Mmmhmm…"

"Good. Alright so, if you had to tell me, as accurately as possible, when your last heat was…what would you say?" She stroked the hair at the nape of his neck gently, letting her fingers brush over his scent glands.

"Probably…coming up to thr-three years…?" She winced, the air whistling through her teeth as she inhaled sharply.

"Oh Kagami…" Her heart went out to him. She could only imagine the difficulties he would have had to face as a rogue omega. No fixed home, no solid foundation of support. Suppression must have been the best way forward for him.

But it didn't make things any less sad.

"I know…I should've-"

"You should've nothing, okay? Don't mind me at all, my love. I'm from the days where suppressants didn't even exist. I'm a walking, talking fossil!" she laughed. "So…three years is your best estimate?"

"Maybe four?"

"Don't be shy, Kagami. You can tell me. If it's higher, it won't change how I see you at all, okay? It's only so that I can gage how heavy these things are going to hit."

"I think four's probably the best…four and a half tops."

"Right, four-and-a-half. Got it!" She mentally filed the information away, ready to do some reading once she had some time alone. The most she'd ever heard of an omega doing was two years and it had been a complete extreme-all over the news. Their heats had never been the same afterwards, so she could only imagine what four years would do to the poor omega in her lap. She held him closer, wanting to protect him but knowing it was impossible. She couldn't protect him from himself, no matter how hard she tried. All she could do was…

"Okay, next question. If you think back to your last heat. What can you remember about it?" She was rubbing gentle circles on his scalp, further modifying her scent to lull him into an almost hypnotic state.

"When…you say remember…?" He sounded like he was drifting away and she smiled. It was working well. Hopefully she'd be able to pick his brains a bit and get a clear picture of what she'd be working with.

"How long did it last? How heavy? Did anything stand out to you when you had them as maybe being odd?" Her fingers stopped dancing over his scent glands and instead lightly massaged them as she felt the omega go slack.

* * *

Marisa's abilities weren't common. Far from it. They were extremely unique. Few wolves were able to control their scents as easily and as well as she could. She had discovered her talent as a child, when her mother had commented on the fact that had scent always seemed to change to fit the situation at hand. It was then that she realised she had been subconsciously altering it and moulding it to fit the given circumstances. From then on, she had practised: suppressing it completely, conveying feeling and emotion, seeing how strongly she could express her pheromones, how it affected her aura…

It was one of the many things that made her so good at her job, especially when it came to diffusing situations in the household and looking after the new omegas. It had been something that her first employer had noticed immediately.

You will be good for our son…

She shook her head, focusing on the task at hand.

"Kagami? Can you still hear me?"

"Mmm…"

"What do you remember?"

"They…changed."

"What did, angel?"

"My heats…they used to be normal but they got heavier. A lot heavier. So, I started suppressing."

"Okay. And when you were having your heats, were they regular?"

"Yeah…I was only ever out by a day or two."

"Anything else? Anything unusual…?"

"They…said it was too strong…"

"They, Kagami?" She waited but got no response. "Kagami, can you hear me?" He stirred in her lap, turning to blink up at her sleepily.

"Yeah, I can…sorry, did I fall asleep?" She shook her head, explaining what she'd done.

"Woah…that's awesome! You're kinda like m-" he stopped abruptly.

"Kind of like…?" she prompted.

"Oh…my-uh-my old high school teacher. She…uh, yeah…" he finished lamely. She nodded, humouring him but wondered to herself what he had been about to say.

And who are 'they'…?

"Now that we've talked about things, it's probably better if we start preparing…though I'm aware you've already begun." His blush crept to his neck but he still played dumb.

"What do you mean…?"

"I mean your nest, Kagami."

...

"It isn't a nest…" he murmured insistently, more to himself that to the beta beside him.

"Yes, yes, sweetie, I know." Blushing further, Kagami grasped the doorknob and turned it, opening the door.

Inside was a sparsely-decorated room, with a single bed in the middle. The mattress had a single sheet covering it but there was no duvet and no pillows. However, there were some garments hanging on the headboard.

Garments that she immediately identified as being a certain someone's…

There was something so endearingly naïve about how he'd gone about things. He clearly hadn't had much experience when it came to preparing a nest or heats in general. The almost pitiful attempt brought out her maternal instincts even more.

She rolled up her sleeves.

"It looks like we have work to do. But first off, this room…it won't do. At all."

"Why not?"

"You need one that's completely scent-blocked. No scents coming in and no scents coming out. And also, a more secure lock. Come, come." She held her hand out to him waiting for him to take it. "Oh, and you can take Aomine-sama's things with you."

She smiled slyly as his face exploded in colour and he tried to explain it away.

"I-I-I…it's-the scent-"

"Yes, yes, sweetie."

* * *

She took him even further downstairs, to heavy, metal door with no lock and a large panel beside it.

"Wait here for a minute, darling. I left the keys in my room." She disappeared but quickly returned with a small bunch of keys. A tiny key was inserted into the lock on the side of the panel, opening it and it immediately sprang to life, requesting a code.

"Now, this might take a while but bear with me." She typed in a six-digit code and the machine processed it before requesting her finger-print. Then a reader appeared and she pressed her index finger against it. Finally, she spoke her name clearly into a speaker and the machine pinged. Identity confirmed, it gave her a list of actions to select from.

"Because the machine doesn't know you, I'm going to have to register your identity. Once it's done that, you'll be able to use it whenever, as long as you have your code." She pressed a few buttons and typed in a few things before Kagami heard it chirp. "My part's done. The rest is all you, angel. Come here." Kagami did so and she motioned to the panel. "It will tell you everything you need to do so just follow the instructions."

Kagami stared at the glowing screen, eyes scanning the text before glancing down.

PLACE FINGER HERE

It looked similar to the fingerprint reader that had appeared when Marisa had been signing into the system but there was a tiny hole in the centre of the designated well that confused him. Still, he obediently placed his finger on it and a band came over to secure it in place. He felt a liquid seep out and cover the pad of his finger. It smelt a bit like disinfectant.

"It will sting a bit but try not to move."

"Wha-ah!" He felt the prick of a needle and automatically tried to move but the band held his digit in place and slowly tightened, squeezing blood out of the wound. "Why didn't you tell me before?" he complained.

"I know some people hate needles and they get pretty reluctant so I thought the element of surprise would work better. Because we don't have much time before the other two wake up and start looking for breakfast."

"Oh…that makes sense. But why does it need blood?" The machine chirped and Kagami smelt the liquid from before as it bathed his finger once again before releasing it.

"It takes a sample to determine if you are who you say you are-oh, step back, Kagami." Another message flashed on the screen, asking him to step back and look directly ahead. He did so as Marisa resumed her talking. A blue laser was revealed that scanned the entire length of Kagami's body then disappeared. Then he received instruction to step close to the machine again and a green one took the previous one's place and performed a retinal scan.

"I'm registering you as an omega so the machine needs to make sure I'm not lying about that."

"But why's my gender important?"

"Security. Omegas can enter by themselves. But betas and alphas can't-especially alphas…well, I'm exception to the rule because I'm admin…" she laughed.

"Oh okay, so omegas can go in alone but betas need to come in with an omega, right?"

"Right. The machine lets people in one at a time -the omega first- and if there's someone there who shouldn't be there, they get shocked." She waved around. "This whole area is completely rigged with sensors for just about everything -pheromones, sound, weight, heat…it's pretty endless. They'll be able to tell if there's an unwelcome visitor." Kagami whistled.

"That's pretty cool…So how does the door thing work?"

"Well-" The machine pinged, interrupting them. Marisa beamed.

"You're all set! Now we both have to sign in again." As they did so, Marisa summarised how the system operated.

Regardless of the wolf with them, the machine would admit the omega first, after they had confirmed their identity. Then the alpha or beta would have to do the same, provided that they were already registered on the system. The omega would also have to verbally and physically confirm -through pressing a button- that they wanted the other wolf to be present as they were signing in. If this didn't occur, then the door wouldn't open for the other wolf.

"Can't the alpha just rush in?"

"Nope. The door only opens when only one person is within five metres of it, and there are even more sensors inside. If someone tried rushing in, they'd get electrocuted." Kagami's eyebrows rose at that.

"Woah…"

"Most of this mansion -this entire estate- is set up in a similar way, which is yet another reason why Aomine-sama doesn't want you going off on your own. You have no knowledge of where they are so you could easily get hurt."

Kagami hadn't realised this at all. Granted he'd been unconscious or blind-folded whenever he'd been entering Aomine's land but he'd had no inkling of it and the bluenette hadn't mentioned it at all.

So why didn't he say something? I would've thought he was slightly less of a controlling asshole if he had.

Would you really?

Maybe…

I guess every little helps…

"You said there was more security for alphas than betas?"

"Indeed. Because-" The machine sounded, telling Kagami to stand in front of the door. Marisa walked backwards with a smile.

"You can see first-hand how it works. Look." She moved a few centimetres forward and a warning rung out from the system, telling her to step back. "See?"

"Woah…"

"Aomine-sama said the minimum distance was developed based on Satsuki-sama."

"Wha-" The door opened finally and Kagami stepped through. It immediately closed behind him and he waited for Marisa to follow him through, still processing the last bit of information.

MOMOI?

He didn't have long to wait before the door opened and Marisa also came through. The short hallway had become illuminated as soon as he'd stepped through to reveal two doors either side.

* * *

"Pick a room, Kagami." She gestured at the four doors.

"Okay, mmmm, this one?" The second door on the right. She bobbed her head in agreement and picked out another key out from the bunch, unlocking the panel. This one revealed a simpler design than the one outside and all it appeared to have was a finger scanner.

"You go first." Kagami did so and the door admitted him, closing behind him. Marisa came in a minute later.

"It's been a few years since any of these rooms were last used -some of them haven't been used at all- so I'll have to clean it up before we start setting up but at least you get to see what it looks like." His sharp eyesight allowed him to pick out the lights embedded into the ceiling but he couldn't see any switches.

"Where are the-" She clapped twice and they turned on. She turned to him.

"Twice to turn them on, thrice to turn them off." She swapped her slippers for another pair at the door and Kagami copied her.

It was a pristine, spacious room.

And it was obvious even to Kagami that it was designed for heats.

The floor was covered in dark grey, thick carpet that was incredibly soft to the touch. A finer version covered the walls but not the ceiling. The lights were dotted over it, quite like stars in the early evening sky. There were no windows in sight but there was a door on one side with no handle.

"Although, once your heats start, the lights adapt to your current condition based on feedback they get from sensors around the room. So when you sleep, they will dim and when you're active, they'll turn on completely." Kagami nodded mutely as she continued to show him around the room. She pointed at an aperture on the ceiling.

"The openings here keep the room ventilated and circulate fresh air. They take the air here to a room where your scent can be neutralised securely. And I'm sure you've noticed the lack of windows but I'm sure I don't need to explain to you why that is…"

"Now, as for the bed…" They walked over to centre of the room, were a gigantic, bare mattress sat slightly elevated, surrounded by some kind of trench. "I know that a lot of omegas tend to prefer beds over mattresses so you're more than welcome to ask for one and I'll get Tanaka to bring it in for you. But as your heats are likely to be incredibly strong, a mattress might be safer-less risk of falling off and such. What would you prefer?"

"Uh, I'm fine with the mattress…I think I prefer them actually..."

"Are you sure?" He nodded. "That works out great then!" she grinned and he smiled back, looking a bit overwhelmed. "Still, if you want a bed brought in, don't be shy. Tell me and I'll sort it out. Remember, I'm here to make things as comfortable as possible for you." He nodded.

"I will."

"Good!" She talked him through the rest of it: the mini-fridge stocked with replenishing drinks and energy bars, the sound system that could be plugged into any device and had speakers throughout the room; the monitoring system that used details the omega entered in about their heats to regulate the conditions in the room, all the way down to the hourly temperature.

"It's such an incredible, interactive system. A lot of data -current and historical- was used to make it as advanced as it is. It can tell how high the temperature needs to be based on known information about omegas' fluctuating body temperature during heat, data from the thermometers in the room and information you put in yourself as well as whether there's someone in the room and what their impact on your body temperature would be. It's unbelievable."

Kagami had to agree.

"And here is the bathroom. Put your hand anywhere on the door." Kagami did so and it slid open to reveal a sleek, bathroom. There was a completely-open shower, a large, stone bathtub and a sectioned off toilet and sink. She pointed to a button on the wall beside the shower.

"Stand there and press that." Kagami did so, not sure what to expect and jumped as he heard a loud whoosh and was hit by jets of cool air. Marisa watched with a delighted laugh as his clothes and hair were blown into disarray. HE pressed the button again and then stopped.

"A giant blow-drier?"

"Pretty much. An air drier. It dries you off instead of towels-though there are towels too. And again, temperature sensors everywhere to control the heat of the air. It's fun, isn't it? And really convenient if you're going to be in and out of the shower between waves. Or during…" Kagami reddened but did a quick three-sixty around the room. The level of detail that had gone into making these rooms was almost terrifying. They were genius.

They left the bathroom and returned to the bedroom where she pointed out a few more things: a television, a computer, a game system; before they both sat down on the soft L-shaped couch that took up one corner of the room.

"This place is…"

"It's like a dream…it kind of makes me wish I was an omega…" Kagami didn't comment. He was feeling extremely conflicted. He wasn't so shallow that the room had made him reconsider his philosophy entirely but…

To see somewhere that completely catered to omegas and allowed him to embrace his heats completely without having to worry about…well, anything.

It was eye-opening, to say the least.

"Questions, Kagami? I know you have plenty."

"Wow, I mean…" He looked around him, still dazed by everything he was seeing. His eyes came to rest on the strange ditch surrounding the mattress. "What is that?" Marisa's eyes followed his.

"Oh! Well that's for those…" She tugged lightly at the bag of clothing he held tightly in his hand. That he had been since he'd picked them up nearly an hour ago. His face exploded in colour.

"About these-"

"Don't worry, Kagami. We can talk about that in a minute. But let me show you this…" She took the bag from him and guided him to the bed. "Lie down." He did so and she walked around him, almost carelessly dropping various items from the bag into the ditch until it was empty before stepping back.

"Alright, now just close your eyes and wait a bit." Ever obedient, he followed her instructions. Now that his eyes were closed, he was able to focus more on his other senses.

The softness of the mattress.

The sound of his and Marisa's steady breathing.

The smell of the beta woman and of Aomine's musky, intoxicating scent…that suddenly became a lot more powerful.

Kagami's eyes shot open as he was hit by a wave of scent so strong, he felt physically winded. Aomine's scent was like nothing he'd ever smelt before but to experience it this heavily.

He froze in horror as he started to feel wetness between his legs. This is itself wasn't entirely abnormal for an omega to undergo in the days before their heat but for it to be triggered so rapidly and just by the scent from Aomine's old clothing…

"It amplifies scents." Kagami jumped in surprise, having forgotten Marisa was there. "And it circulates it around the bed. Very useful if you plan on going solo during your heat…as I'm sure you'll agree…" She'd seen the entire thing, watched Kagami's reaction to Aomine's scent.

And she filed it all away.

...

"So that answers that question. Anything else?"

"Earlier, you mentioned Momoi…" Her eyes brightened at the name.

"Yes, Satsuki-sama! I'm sure you're aware she's incredibly fast-one of the fastest there is." Her voice was filled with pride and her eyes glowed with nostalgic fondness and she sighed. "Honestly, trying to keep up with her when she was younger was impossible. But yes, the time taken for her to travel certain short distances was recorded and used to model the required distance away from the door. So, it should be impossible for almost any wolf to get to the door before the sensors activate."

"Maris-Mari-chan?"

"Yes, sweet?"

"Who made this place?" Her greying eyebrows rose.

"Didn't I tell you already? It was Midorima-sama!"

Kagami blinked.

* * *

Marisa finished describing the security measure for alphas to him -a five-minute timer would be activated from the moment the omega entered the room. If the omega didn't confirm that they were still expecting another wolf or their visitor didn't check in within that time, simply by letting their fingerprint be read again, then the heat room would lock-down and an alarm would sound. So, if an intruder somehow managed to get in past the first door but the omega went in ahead to close the second door on them, they would trigger the alarm.

"And it's very loud, so they'd be caught in no time. Apparently, there's also sleeping gas but I've never seen it happen so I wouldn't know…"

"But doesn't that mean the alpha or beta can't get out again?"

"Oh they can get out." She pointed at the panel by the door. "They check out there and again at the main door. Within five minutes, of course. But if they want to get back in, they either need one of the admins -me and Tanaka- or the omega's consent."

"But what if they can't get to the door?"

"The system can call. There's a headset by the bed. They have a maximum of three calls. If they all fail or the omega doesn't consent with their fingerprint, the wolf is locked out for twelve hours." Kagami shook his head. Midorima had thought of everything.

He still couldn't fathom the idea that all of this had been created by someone Midorima's age. Actually, that didn't really matter. This would still be insane if Midorima was sixteen or sixty. Now he was starting to see why the Miracles did what they did. They seemed to be incredibly gifted, if this place was anything to go by. Kagami could only assume the rest of them had similar hidden talents and it blew his mind.

He'd gotten so comfortable around Kise and Kuroko that he didn't even notice their mind-blowing abilities but this was the reality. Even after taking their domain into, they were still nothing short of superhuman.

Well superwolves. Because I doubt they'd appreciate the 'human' part.

He wouldn't even be surprised if they deliberately toned things down around him. They were amazing, no doubt about it.

And Aomine was their ace…

Kagami shook his head. Aomine wasn't the focus right now. Nor would he ever be, in Kagami's eyes.

"I know you've got a lot more questions but I'll answer them as we go back up. It's already coming to ten now. No doubt Kise-sama's started the waterworks." They exchanged a smile and got up to leave the room.

* * *

Present…

"How is Kagamicchi?" Kuroko and Kise sat at the dining table as Marisa served them breakfast. It was obvious they were both still tense but they were doing their best to ignore both the tension and the unshakeable desire that shifted restlessly in the pits of their stomachs.

"Well," she stepped back standing against the wall with her hands clasped in front of her. Kuroko knew better than to invite her to sit with them. She would refuse immediately, as she had been trained to. "I believe Kagami's heats are very extreme to begin with but…other circumstances have probably made things a bit worse." She glossed over the last bit and Kise's brow furrowed but Kuroko could read in between the lines. Kagami had likely been suppressing for a while. He wouldn't ask how long-that information was private and was for Kagami to share if he chose.

"Is he coping?"

"He's very tired…" she said carefully, "very tired…but he knows what he wants…" Kuroko really didn't like the answers he was getting. He knew it was in Marisa's nature to be as honest as possible but for once, he wished for a few pretty lies to help his peace of mind.

"And he definitely won't accept any help?"

As Midorima had created the system, it went without saying that all the Miracles were registered on it. Aomine had given them complete access to the rooms to use if they pleased. So far, Kise had used one once and Momoi another several times. The majority of the time, they just dealt with them in the omegas' rooms. The only ones that had been taken down there were pedigrees, either by ancestry or their social standing or both.

Momoi's last visit had been when she was the heat partner for minor royalty, whose heat had coincided with a business trip to Japan. She had been selected personally and to keep things sweet, had accepted the offer at Akashi's 'suggestion'. Later, they had tried to propose which had made negotiations very difficult and she hadn't returned. Kise's had been a Sigma pedigree who he'd received as a token but he hadn't used it since, claiming omegas weren't worth the hassle.

"I'm afraid not, Kuroko-sama. We discussed all his options but he was totally immovable on that point. He didn't want an alpha with him. It's likely because he's still a virgin and this is a new environment so I don't blame him." Marisa knew there was more to it than that but it wasn't her place to discuss it with them. She and Kagami had talked about a lot and she planned on honouring the bond of trust they had. What he told her would remain completely confidential. She wouldn't tell a soul.

"And how long is it set to last?"

"Hopefully a week. I'm keeping a close eye on him now, as it's his first day, but it should only be-" There was a ringing noise and she pulled a timer from her apron. "If you'll excuse me Kuroko-sama, Kise-sama." She bowed to both of them and hurried away, without telling them where she was going.

She didn't need to.

"Kurokocchi…" the blonde whined, slumping on his crossed arms. "He needs help-"

"And Marisa-san is there to provide it for him." He was being deliberately obtuse and Kise growled with agitation before lowering his head further.

"Sorry…"

"It's okay, Kise-kun. I understand your frustration but we need to trust that Kagami-kun knows what he's doing and knows what he wants. It isn't our place to make that decision for him. We need to remember that." Kise nodded dejectedly and Kuroko patted his head softly. They sat there in silence for what felt like eons.

"I feel…" Kise started quietly. "I feel like I shouldn't be thinking about Kagamicchi in this way. Because he's my friend. But…"

But. There were so many buts.

It's wrong but…

He means more to me than that but…

He belongs to Aomine-kun but…

But that didn't change the fact that they both wanted to claim him so badly it was a physical pain.

Kuroko had better restraint than most wolves, live alone alphas. It was something he prided himself on. But he struggled.

Struggled like he hadn't in a long while.

Struggled to keep thoughts of Kagami out of his head.

His worry for the redhead, his concern, his want, his dark desire…

It was hard to think.

Kuroko nearly jolted when his phone rang. It was an unknown number. He picked it up immediately.

"Akashi-kun."

"Tetsuya. I hope you and Ryouta are well." He glanced at the moping, unsettled blonde and sighed to himself.

Well…

"Indeed, Akashi-kun. How is the situation there?"

"There have been significant developments." Kuroko could see where this was going.

"Is the location unchanged."

"Yes. And the sooner you leave, the better."

"I understand. I look forward to seeing you soon, Akashi-kun."

"And I you, Tetsuya. And please tell Ryouta to cheer up." The blonde sat up immediately as Kuroko ended the call.

"Akashi-kun-"

"I heard. I still have no idea how he does that." There was an elephant in the room. Neither wanted to address it.

"So…should we get our stuff together?"

"Ye-" The door opened quite quickly and Tanaka appeared, sounding slightly breathless.

"Kuroko-sama, Kise-sama, good morning. I apologise for the intrusion." He bowed deeply. "I take it Akashi-sama…?" He looked at the phone in Kuroko's hand.

"SorryTanaka-san, I just ended the call. Would you like me to give him a message? We shall be leaving soon." Tanaka hesitated before bowing again.

"If you could relay a message, that would be most helpful. But in actuality, the message is intended for Aomine-sama. I had hoped to catch you before the call ended so I could speak to him."

"If it is urgent, I can try to find a way to contact them."

"Oh no, Kuroko-sama, you are running on a tight schedule as it is. I can write a note to Aomine-sama and give it to you as you leave. Many thanks for your help. Would you like me to prepare travel arrangements?" Kuroko shook his head.

"No thank you, Tanaka-san. We have something prepared."

"As you wish. Kuroko-sama, Kise-sama." He bowed again and left the room.

"We should get going too, Kise kun."

"Yeah…"

...

Tanaka and Marisa stood by the staircase as Kuroko and Kise came down the steps.

"Have a safe journey, you two!" Marisa seemed sad and Kise smiled at her.

"Don't look so down, Marisa! We'll be back before you know it. I can't wait to eat your amazing apple tart again!" She beamed.

"Kise-sama, you charmer!"

"I wish you gentlemen the best of luck. We shall all be praying for your safe return." There was subtle emphasis on the all and Marisa nodded in agreement.

"Marisa-san, about-"

"Don't you worry, Kuroko-sama. I won't say a word." Kuroko had asked Marisa not to tell Kagami they had gone in case he took the news badly. He didn't think it was likely but he knew some omegas in heat suffered from severe moodswings and could be easily triggered by a lot of things, so he preferred for her to withhold the information.

"And-"

"And I will look after him, I promise. Please don't worry, and take care of yourself. And give my greeting to Aomine-sama. Tell him…" Kuroko saw the ghost of an emotion in her eyes but it was gone in an instant. "Please tell him he's in my thoughts and prayers. You all are."

"I will, Marisa-san. You take care of yourself too." Kuroko bowed slightly to her and she bowed deeply in return. Her watched chirped again and she bowed once more, keeping her head down.

"Please excuse me." All three men watched her disappear before Tanaka cleared his throat.

"I will see you gentlemen to the door."

He walked them over to the door ad opened it. Kise stepped out first and Tanaka handed the letter to Kuroko.

"Please deliver this to Aomine-sama."

"I will. Thank you as always, Tanaka-san." Kise turned to wave at him with a smile which he returned before bowing deeply.

When he raised his head, they were gone.

* * *

Fifteen maids dead over the span of nearly a month. And Aomine was still completely oblivious.

He had gotten next to no information.

But that in itself was enough. More than enough.

He would make it so.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER: 17

A few days earlier...

"It's all down to compatibility," she stated simply because of course, it was obvious.

"I…huh?" Kagami blinked and Marisa shook her head with a laugh.

"You…" she said slowly and he nodded, "and Aomine-sama…" Kagami frowned slightly but nodded again, "are naturally compatible. Are you still with me?"

"Yeah…but how?"

"Do you mean the science behind it, or…?"

"No, just…how…?" She rolled her eyes with a grin.

"So you didn't get it, then."

They were in Marisa's room again. Kagami had spun a very holey story to excuse himself from Kise and Kuroko's presence and Marisa had done her best to fill in the gaps and smooth over the cracks whilst maintaining as much honesty as possible. They had met up minutes later in her room where Kagami sat on the chair by her dresser whilst she knelt down by a large wooden trunk, sorting through its contents.

"Essentially, compatibility is something that can't be controlled. It's natural and it's random. And what it means is that some scents are naturally more 'suited' to each other. So, whenever you smell it, it will have a stronger effect on you than the scent of another wolf who meets the same criteria. Am I making sense?"

Kagami nodded slowly.

It certainly explained a lot. Why he found Aomine's scent so intoxicating despite hating the man himself. Why he was always left wondering if submission would really be such a bad thing every time the bluenette's smell overpowered him. He was, unfortunately, just naturally more attracted to his scent.

"And…can it be cured?" Marisa laughed.

"It isn't a disease, angel. You just have a natural affinity for one another-"

"Our scents do," Kagami corrected quickly but she shook her head.

"Not necessarily. Usually the scents are indicative of general compatibility. Which would explain Aomine-sama's unwillingness to share you with the rest of his pack. He's not usually like this…at all…" Kagami mulled this over.

You've got to be completely honest with yourself here or you'll waste weeks pretending it isn't what it is.

Kagami was going to be honest. Brutally so.

There were worse things than being compatible with Aomine. He hated to admit it but it was true. It didn't change the fact that he wanted nothing to do with him as a person but…

If the bluenette's natural attraction to him meant greater security for his future, then so be it. After all, Kagami hadn't been above using their compatibility to his own advantage…

He cast an eye over the small pile of clothes that he and Marisa had picked out from Aomine's extensive wardrobe. His face reddened. He hadn't wanted to go with Marisa but she had insisted, saying that he should pick out the ones that smelt the best for his heat.

The delicious smell lingered. Kagami didn't know if it was real or all in his head but the effects the smell were having on his body were definitely real.

Damn the bastard…

"And with general compatibility…what does that include?"

"Oh…well," she folded her fingers down as she spoke, "scent, blood, bond strength and once you've bonded, telepathy, and in some cases ge-"

"GOT IT!" Kagami all but yelled, his face a brilliant red. Marisa blinked innocently but Kagami knew her better than that. She loved teasing him whenever possible and this was no exception.

She's evil.

"So we're compatible…can I be compatible with more than one person?"

"In theory, you're compatible with everyone." Kagami blinked. "It's a scale. So, your compatibility with me would be low, for example."

"Ah…" he said, nodding in understanding. "Fine, can I be Aomine-level compatible with more than one person?"

"Theoretically you can, but…" She turned back to the chest and pulled something out, setting it down on the shawl spread in front of her. "I'll ask you a question."

"Go ahead." He sat back.

"Have you ever met someone who makes you second guess yourself as much as Aomine-sama does, through nothing more than being the wolf that they are?"

Kagami felt slightly winded.

As he thought about it, he realised that that was exactly what Aomine had been doing to him all along. But it had taken Marisa verbalising it to truly comprehend it.

From the moment he'd stepped out of that cage, Aomine had him on the back-foot. He didn't act as recklessly as he normally would. He didn't push the alpha over the edge like he knew he could. He entertained thoughts of just doing what the bluenette pleased instead of resisting. And granted they were fleeting moments that he immediately regretted. And granted, it was only for self-preservation purposes. And granted it would only ever be in body and never in spirit…

That didn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

Because the reality was that Aomine had him considering it. Instead of dismissing the notions completely and telling him to take a long walk off a short cliff. The other man was challenging his ideals; his philosophies; the way he lived…

Challenging him.

And wasn't he doing the same?

You know you are-

Shut up.

"I think you're starting to understand it now…" she smiled as she saw that her question had left him deep in thought. "And you don't have to get it right away. It's a lot to wrap your head around and to be quite honest, there's so much mystery to it that it would be pretty impossible to explain it fully, to understand it fully. But…despite everything, what I can safely say is that you and Aomine-sama are highly compatible."

And that in itself was an understatement. She wondered if Kagami could feel the energy that surrounded them when they were in close proximity of each other…if he could feel the conflicting, overwhelming aura that encircled them, so different from everyone else's. Wanting to be close but staying as far away as possible, together but apart.

Perhaps it's genetic…

"Still, it makes things easier for you as you're going solo. With a scent as strong as Aomine-sama's and the fact that you are so compatible, you may almost be able to fool your body into thinking there's someone there. Let's keep our fingers crossed that it helps, shall we?" Kagami nodded dumbly, still mulling over his revelation. He was now looking at his situation with fresh eyes and the more he thought about it, the more he reckoned that he could use their compatibility to his advantage once Aomine returned.

And maybe…just maybe…he might be able to regain his freedom…

Don't count your chickens…

Yeah, yeah.

"Now, we haven't discussed the most important part yet-"

"We haven't?"

"Regarding the actual heat itself, no." She stood up slowly, with the shawl gathered in her hands then sat opposite Kagami, setting her large bundle on the bed in between them.

"What's all that?"

"Well…" She opened it up and Kagami's brain short-circuited.

Present…

"Kagami? Kagami sweetheart, how are you?" She got no response and her stomach twisted with worry. It had been the same every time she had visited him today. There was no response but she knew he was still conscious as the room was closely monitoring his movement. As the alarm hadn't gone off, it confirmed that he was still awake, at least. But as for his current state…

"Kagami?"

She had forced him to eat a lot last night, with a second meal after dinner before sending him off to the heat room, as she was certain his heat would start the next day and now, she was glad she had. However, she was aware that Kagami was the owner of a ridiculously-fast metabolism so she couldn't help but worry that it hadn't been enough and that he was already exhausted.

She hadn't wanted to tell Kuroko and Kise that she hadn't gone in to see him at all because it would only make them more anxious for the omega's wellbeing. Usually, she would go in and check on how the omega was doing. However, as it had been such a long time since he'd last had a heat, due to his suppressants, and the fact that he already had highly attuned senses normally, she knew that regardless of what precautions she took, her scent would likely cause him to spook. Or worse, to attack.

"Kagami? Sweetie, I'm worried about you. Do you need anything?" She stayed with her ear pressed to the door but still heard no response.

She didn't want to intrude at all, but as one of the two administrators, she knew that she had access to the monitors in the rooms. Each room had a single camera that was positioned above the bed but one needed to be an administrator in order to view it. She never had before as it had seemed to intrusive and she was particularly against the idea now, as Kagami deserved his privacy. However, not having heard anything for hours was slowly driving her insane with worry and she just wanted to know that he was okay.

Maybe I should let him know fir-

A whimper.

"KAGAMI?" she called urgently. "Kagami, angel, are you okay?"

He made the same noise again and it was so at odds with him and his character that she wanted to hug him and never let him go. His heat was no doubt battering him but for him to sound so weak and broken…

"Kagami, I'll still be checking on you every hour, okay? I can bring you whatever you want. Just say the word. I'm here for you okay?" She got no response but she knew her words had been heard. She opened her mouth to provide words of comfort but nothing came out. She didn't know how to comfort him because she really had no idea what he was going through.

She closed her eyes and uttered a quick praying, stomach knotting as she stared hopelessly at the closed door.

She really, really hoped he would be okay.

* * *

There were many things Kagami would never want to do again if possible, especially in recent times.

Talking to Aomine, for example. Or just being within a ten-mile radius of him.

But Kagami was a realist when it counted and he knew that the likelihood of that happening once he returned was slim to none.

What he did hope, however, was that he would never have to chose sex toys with Marisa ever, EVER again.

"Don't worry, pet. It's nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, by the time your heat is over, you'll be beyond thankful that we talked through this." For some unknown reason, Kagami strongly doubted this.

There was a wide variety of different dildos on the cloth Marisa had spread on the bed. A range of sizes: from what he deemed acceptable to what he worried might genuinely hurt him; varying shapes and designs: some ridged, some smooth, some that vibrated-

None anywhere near as big as Aomine.

Kagami shoved the thought forcefully out of his mind. There was no need to stress himself out even more than he already was. Or scare himself because, quite frankly, Aomine's…endowment was nothing short of terrifying. Especially when he knew that he'd be on the receiving end of it sooner or later-

STOP.

"I brought a knotting one as well and if you'd like, I can get more-"

"Knotting?" Kagami's usually loud voice was much fainter and Marisa nodded wisely.

"I suspected you wouldn't be too keen on them and if you like I can get rid of it." She held up the large and, quite frankly, offensive instrument and Kagami nodded mutely.

"Please." She set it aside, moving onto the rest of them. "Now, as this is your first heat after a while, chances are your body will be extremely sensitive -more so than it already is- so you won't require much stimulation at all to feel pleasure. If anything, too much could lead to feelings akin to pain if you become hypersensitive which is exactly what we don't want. That's why I steered clear of most of the toys with more features. However, I did still pick out some of the less-aggressive vibrators as they can free up your hands so you can do…other things…"

No prizes for guessing what she means by that, he thought as his face steadily reddened.

"Is there anything here you're completely against, or maybe anything else you'd like me to add-"

"To add?" he repeated and she nodded. "Wait, I'm supposed to use all of this?" She looked slightly confused.

"Kagami, sweet, you have used things like this before, haven't you…?" He stayed silent. It was telling. "How on Earth did you manage your heats by yourself before?!"

Kagami screwed his eyes shut. If he focused hard enough, he could pretend he was somewhere else. Somewhere else andnot having a conversation with Marisa, his stand-in mother, about how he got himself off during his heats.

"I-you know…" he said tightly, "with…my hand…"

"You fingered yourself?" Kagami thought he'd collapse but the springy reassurance from the mattress beneath him let him know that even if he did, it would be there to cushion his fall.

"N-No…" he croaked, "I mean…just…" He gesticulated randomly but Marisa still looked lost.

"I still don't-OH!" Her eyes widened when his hand motions took on more of a familiar form. "OH, angel, no, that could never be enough! Especially for someone like you! Why did you never do penetration?"

I'm dying. I'm dead. I…just...this isn't happening.

"It was…WEIRD?" Kagami tried feebly. "It never felt…I-I tried it once outside my heats and it didn't…" He trailed off, not knowing how to voice his thoughts.

Though he had tried using his fingers once, during his second pre-heat, it hadn't felt like anything worth doing.

Well, that wasn't strictly true. The feeling of having something inside him like that had felt strange…but right. Oh so right.

And in Kagami's head, that was wrong. Very, very wrong. Anything that made him feel like more of an omega than he had already grudgingly accepted was wrong. So Kagami had forced himself to ignore the desire to penetrate himself during his heats and had thus made things infinitely harder for himself. He didn't care. He wouldn't accept his body's cravings. He wouldn't.

But when Aomine had assaulted him…

It sickened him to think about. The fact that Aomine had attacked him and thought that there was nothing wrong with it.

And the fact that the alpha's merciless touch had satisfied his deepest desires; to be taken and filled…wants that he had tried to ignore for years.

It wasn't fair.

Then again, is life?

"It was probably due to your lack of experience." Marisa rightly suspected that there was more to it than that but as always, she thought it smarter to keep those thoughts to herself. "If you want I can show you…"

The rest faded away. Or rather, Kagami faded away.

This. Is. Not. Happening.

He stared desperately at the space between his feet, putting everything he had into begging the ground to open and swallow him whole. Because a tutorial on how to use sex toys from Marisa was something he knew would end his life. His brain would melt down and he would die.

"Please. I-I'm fine. I promise."

"Are you sure? I've done it befor-"

"Honestly…" There was an element of determination in his voice that would have impressed him, had he the mind to think about it. He didn't. "I'll figure it out. It shouldn't…it shouldn't be too hard…"

"Well, okay sweetheart. But just let me know if you do need any help with it before your heat starts. I'll go and get the cables for the vibrators." She petted his head quickly before getting up and leaving the room. As soon as she was gone, Kagami curled up into a ball and willed their earlier conversation to be erased from his head forever.

…

He panted heavily as the vibrator buzzed inside him. The sound was almost soothing. It let him know that the toy was still working. It had to keep working.

Because he knew he'd die without it.

He'd gone into the heat room shortly after Marisa's second dinner, with a stream of reassurances that she'd be there to check on him every hour starting the next morning and she'd bring him three meals a day and more if he asked for them. Her words put Kagami at ease. They made him think that the heat would be just about bearable.

Had he known that talking would've been the absolutely last thing on his mind, he wouldn't have been so confident.

He fell into a fairly restless sleep shortly after eleven o' clock. His first wave hit in the early hours of the morning, letting him know immediately that he wouldn't be getting any sleep any time soon.

To call it a 'wave' would be inaccurate. It wouldn't be doing it justice. Because what Kagami was experience was less like a large wave, and more like a tsunami.

By four in the morning, his entire body felt feverishly hot and the sheets beneath him were completely soaked. But it wasn't predominantly sweat.

It was slick.

It had been the feeling of the wetness between his legs that had woken him up. It was oddly reminiscent of wetting the bed as a child but worse.

So much worse.

The uncontrollable burn. In him and on him, all over him. It was maddening. And the need to have a wolf-

No. Just any wolf wouldn't cut it. He needed an alpha. He needed someone to fuck him out of this mania and into oblivion.

He was going to throw up.

* * *

Meanwhile…

"Aominecchi…?" Silence. "Aomine-"

"What!" he snapped, jolting out of his thoughts to fix the blonde with a dark look. He could see him cower slightly.

"N-Nothing…"

"If it's 'nothing' then why the fuck would you feel the need to tell me, idiot?"

"I'm sure Kise-kun merely wanted to ask what had prompted your mood, Aomine-kun…" his best friend said impassively, standing in front of the admonished blonde. "It appears to be worsening with every passing hour."

Kuroko knew it had something to do with the note.

When he and Kise had arrived, they had been well received by Aomine. Well, as well received as they could be given the circumstances and the fact that it was Aomine. And then Kuroko had handed him the note from Tanaka…

Whilst he had done his best not to give anything away on his face, there had been a stiffness to whole demeanour that had become impossible to ignore or pass off as a side effect of the difficultly of the task at hand. Because Kuroko knew better than almost anyone that Aomine relished challenges so if anything, he would be looking forward to running the whole operation.

And whilst he could lie, his scent wasn't so dishonest. Kuroko could pick up the underlying hints of a strange sort or worry. It was nearing fearful. Aomine was doing his best to hide it but his control over his scent wasn't the best when compared to other members of their small unit and Kuroko knew him too well. They all did. Not to mention, Kise's sense of smell was the strongest of all of theirs and he tended to speak what was on his mind, so there was no way he wasn't going to pick up on the strange emotions Aomine was giving off and not comment on it. It wasn't in his nature.

And then there was also their pack bond, which let them convey emotions to an even greater degree. Kuroko felt it throb at the back of his neck; felt the tension.

They all did.

"'S none of your business."

"Our bond would disagree…" Aomine stiffened even more, but with irritation, "But ultimately, I didn't say it was. I was merely concerned as to what happened to get you this worked up. And I imagine Kise-kun shares my sentiments." The blonde bowed his head sadly, and everything from his stance to his scent spelt 'apology'. Aomine took in the sight and his posture relaxed slightly, but the dip between his brows and hard set of his face remained.

"It's nothing. Just thinking about some stuff. I'm fine."

"I share Tetsuya and Ryouta's concerns. I understand you might feel it's insignificant but for the sake of this operation-"

"I said, I'm fine." He met Akashi's gaze head-on and they held each other's eyes for a long moment. Eventually Akashi nodded.

"I see." Aomine said nothing more on the topic, turning away. But Akashi's gaze lingered on him, processing the information he'd gleaned slowly.

It would appear that this could become a very big problem. And no doubt he has become a target.

The thought unsettled him somewhat but he filed it away in the meticulous storage space that was his brilliant mind. He would talk to Aomine about it directly at a later date. Right now, he had other things to worry about.

* * *

Kagami's free hand fumbled through the drawer beside the bed, grabbing the first toy he came across. His entire body was trembling, unbearably hot and glistening with sweat. His hold on his consciousness was wavering and it frightened him. Everything felt so sensitive and he was desperate. The slick was all but pouring out of him at this point, making the heat sheets sodden beneath him.

He could feel the cool breeze coming from the air conditioner above him and it burned as it breathed across his painfully-hard nipples. The sheets that he had once found soft and warm felt uncomfortable and irritated his skin so much, he expected to find rashes in the morning.

Well, he would if he had the mind to think about anything besides…

Need…I need….

It was like he'd been kicked in the chest. He fell back against the soaked sheets as Aomine's scent invaded his senses and left him fighting for breath. It was everything he craved and despised and God, he was going to pass out.

His body arched off the bed, his hips bucking wildly as he came into his hand for the second time. It did nothing to ease his erection or his delirium. Aomine's scent fed it, relieving and intensifying in equal amount.

Need…I'll die…

He spread his legs, pushing his knees up to expose his slick-coated hole. He was gagging to have something inside him, anything. He just-

"FUCK!" he screamed hoarsely as he rammed the dildo all the way inside him. It had been one of the biggest ones but it had gone in with ease, hitting his prostrate dead-on. His hand came away to tear at the sheets as the other pumped the toy relentlessly in and out of him, slamming his sweet spot each time. They were beyond saving at this point. What the slick hadn't done to ruin them would be completed by his claws.

He regretted ever touching the suppressants. He swore he never would again. He screwed his eyes shut and begged to whoever, whatever, would listen that he'd never touch anything of the sort again, as long as they'd show him some mercy. Give him some relief. Because what he was facing now was far too much.

The thick dildo continued to ravage his walls. It hurt so good. He couldn't stop even though his over-sensitive body was screaming at him to ease up. Because his mind was screaming louder for him to keep going. To never stop.

Marisa's words made sense. It all made sense. Even though he was finally filled, he felt empty. He needed more. This could never be enough. How could he have been so stupid to think that it could? He was mere hours in and already, he was nearing exhaustion. The first wave was taking such a tremendous toll on his body and his energy reserves that he was genuinely scared it would do him long-term damage.

His mouth felt dry and yet his body was soaking.

His insides burned but his skin was covered with goose-flesh from the cold of the air.

He wanted to stop but would die if he did.

His mind begged for an end to it all but revelled in the madness.

He hated Aomine's guts but wanted nothing more than for the alpha to fuck him through every last wave of this heat.

His eyes rolled back as he felt the onslaught of his third orgasm already, more fulfilling than the first two but nothing more than a drop in the ocean when it came to satisfying his unquenchable desire. He was nearing hysteria and he ran from it. Welcomed it. It was a drug. A curse. A blessing. He needed to stop. He couldn't stop.

He was going to die.


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER: 18

"How are you feeling, Marisa?" The old beta looked up quickly, her kind face creased with anxiety.

"Me? I'm fine. I'm not the problem here though..."

"I wouldn't say that exactly..." Tanaka sat down gently beside her, placing a slightly withered hand on top of hers and giving her a supportive smile. "It isn't good for you to worry so much."

"Can you blame me?" Her free hand wrung the corner of her apron nervously. Tanaka didn't respond to her question.

"You still haven't heard anything..." It was less of a question and more of a saddened statement.

She nodded and looked almost tearful. He squeezed her hand encouragingly but it didn't do much to ease her thoughts.

"I'm just so scared for him. The poor baby must be exhausted. And if something happens to him...-

"You shouldn't think like that, Marisa. We both know Kagami is stronger than most."

"I know but I can't help it!" She was starting to get even more upset so she closed her eyes, breathing deeply. "If something did, I'd never forgive myself. And Daiki-sama-"

"Marisa, I assure you he will be fine. Right now, all we can do is pray that his first wave ends soon. But he will pull through. I know it is hard but you must be patient."

She didn't want to respond but rested her head weakly against his shoulder, closing her eyes.

Marisa's worry was more than justified. Ordinarily first waves were supposed to take anywhere between four and eight hours. Twelve was unheard of, a physiological phenomenon.

Kagami was approaching twenty-four hours.

An entire day.

The monitor in the pouch of her apron kept beeping with updates on Kagami's condition. His body temperature, levels of physical activity and more.

None of it looked promising.

His core temperature had exceeded 50 degrees Celsius hours ago and he hadn't been moving much or making any noise.

Almost like...

But he was breathing. Definitely still breathing.

Marisa was seriously contemplating overriding the system and getting him out of there forcibly. She likely would have done so already had the procedure required to do so not stopped her in her tracks. To force the system to shut down and thus gain access to any and all of the rooms, one would have to unencrypt the security code that existed on the machine's main database to shut it down. And just to access that database, they needed two codes.

The only person with both those codes and the ability to do that was Midorima.

Who was God knows where.

With Aomine.

Marisa trusted that Kise and Kuroko hadn't told Aomine anything about Kagami's heat but if she were to go as far as to contact Midorima, even if only to ask him for advice as it was highly unlikely that he'd be able to be there in person, there was no way Aomine wouldn't find out. Whilst she had nothing against Midorima, she knew she didn't have the same relationship that she had with Kuroko or Kise or even, to an extent, Aomine. So whilst he wouldn't be doing it to spite her, from the position of an alpha, and knowing Aomine's wrath, he'd likely directly relay whatever Marisa told him to the bluenette.

And she could only imagine what he'd do to all of them if he found out they had been hiding Kagami's situation from him. No doubt bridges would be burnt between some of them, however temporary, and their mission would be in jeopardy. They all needed to focus completely on what they were doing, especially Aomine, and she refused to be the one to risk that, however worried she was for Kagami.

It was an impossible dilemma, one she had been thinking about so intensely that night that she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Ordinarily, she would've expected an omega to be well into their third wave. By day two, she could even check on some of them and not worry about her presence or her scent causing any adverse effects to the wolf.

But Kagami was a completely different story.

His sensitivity was through the roof and she would no doubt be putting them both at risk if she tried the same thing she normally did. Well, she would, if he even had the strength to move…

She clutched her apron tighter, willing herself not to cry. She didn't know what to do. She had no one to call. She was supposed to be the most knowledgeable when it came to all things wolf. Aomine had entrusted her with Kagami…Kagamihad entrust himself to her. He'd trusted her to look after him. Because 'she knew what she was doing'…

Her hands trembled slightly and she breathed in sharply through her nose, fighting the sting of tears at the back of her eyes. This couldn't be happening. Not to Kagami.

Tanaka's hand stroked her back comfortingly but she hardly felt it. All she could think about was the redhead downstairs and how helpless she was now. How she couldn't be with him when he needed it most. How she had failed him.

Kagami…I'm so sor-

The monitor's buzzer trilled again but this sound was different from the rest. It was urgent but at the same time…

She was almost scared to even touch it and faltered. She could feel Tanaka silently urging her on and with a deep breath, tore it out of her pocket without further hesitation, scanning its screen with near-frightened eyes.

Her heart stopped completely.

"TANAKA! Get something ready for him to eat! Anything!" She jumped out of her seat and ran out of the room, leaving the monitor behind in her haste. Tanaka glanced at it and smiled, and it was tinged with relief.

As expected, Kagami…

...

Marisa had herself washed and dressed in a full-coverage body suit in no time as all. Her hair had been scraped back into a tidy bun and covered with a hair net and she had donned a face mask and scent-blocking bands on her wrists and neck. She was taking every precaution possible as she knew Kagami was very weak, his immune system was susceptible to attack and his sensitivity was undoubtedly turned up to its breaking point.

Tanaka met her at the entrance to the stairway with a tightly-covered, warm tray and a cling-film wrapped plastic container of various high-energy sweets and treats. Though her mouth was covered, her eyes shone with gratitude. No doubt he'd whipped up something delicious and packed with nutrients for Kagami to eat. Because he desperately needed it.

"Will you be needing anything else?" She paused for a second and then shook her head. But then paused again.

"Actually, if you could get an IV ready on standby. I'll call if…" Tanaka nodded briskly but gave her a warm smile afterwards.

"Of course. Good luck." He disappeared immediately and she steeled herself, going down the darkened stairway to the scent rooms. She scanned herself in, her heart thumping in her chest and as her small load was scanned in by the machine and as she approached the room, she pulled on the gloves that had been in her pocket before knocking on the door.

"Kagami angel? How are you? Can I come in?" She was amazed that she had managed to keep her voice steady considering how close she'd been to a full-blown panic attack earlier on. She could only hope that Kagami was lucid enough to hear her and had enough energy to respond. Now that his first wave had ended, this was her only chance to help him before he was hit again. And something told her that if she didn't get through to him now…

"Kagami?" she tried again, urgency beginning to saturate her voice. "Kagami, if you can hear me, let-" She heard the lock click and the door slid open to permit her access. As soon as it did, she gathered her things and hurried inside, almost unable to take in the sight before her but forcing herself to.

Kagami was a complete wreck.

The first thing she was able to process was that he'd lost weight. He looked significantly thinner than the last time she had seen him, his ribcage more visible than was probably healthy. And judging by how soaked the bed was, he'd likely lost all that weight in fluids. Even though air was still being circulated as fast as possible, his scent hung thick in the air, as overpowering and tantalising as ever.

His ruby eyes were unfocused and looked a touch wild. His skin was covered with scratches and cuts, some shallow, others a lot deeper. It was clear that his body had been trying to repair itself but due to the extent of his exhaustion, there weren't enough resources or energy to spare. It looked as though everything he had left was dedicated to simply keeping him awake…alive.

"K-Kagami?" She took an uncertain step forward, not sure about how he would respond. Even though he couldn't physicallyrespond, she didn't want to distress him by entering his space as he was likely still feeling very territorial. He'd given her access to his room which meant that he was still lucid enough to understand her questions, but she couldn't gage much more than that.

"Kagami…sweetheart, can you talk? Do you hear me?" She took another step forward and he made a warning sound in the back of his throat. She stopped immediately, tilting her head slightly to expose her neck and waited for him to calm. She didn't know whether the noise had been an automatic reaction or if he was actually threatened by her approach but she was going to respect his stance and wait for him to accept her. Eventually, she smelt the change in his scent. It was sweeter, warmer and more accepting.

Taking a deep breath, she closed the remaining space between them, finally standing next the bed where the naked omega lay. Her breath caught as his scent swamped her and her eyes watered…but with sadness. Against her better judgement, she put her things down, knelt beside him and embraced him tightly, pressing her face into his hair.

"I'm so sorry, Kagami…I'm s-so sorry…" The tears that she had been fighting for the past few hours finally started to fall, leaving solitary, salty trails of regret from the corners of her eyes to the tip of her chin.

The room was quiet besides the soft sounds of her sobs and the quiet whirring of the air-circulation system.

Somehow, it felt peaceful. For the first time in over thirty hours, Kagami was feeling something akin to peace…to comfort.

"...I-…" The sound was a tired rasp and his vocal chords gave out almost immediately afterwards but her sharp ears picked up on it immediately. She released him straight away and shot to the fridge, returning with a bottle of what looked like an energy drink.

"Here, angel. Drink this…" She opened the lid and held it to his lips. Her free hand came around to support the back of his head and raise it up slightly as she titled the bottle ever-so-slowly and allowed the sweetened, energising liquid to trickle past his bitten lips and down his parched throat. She did this for over five minutes: just tilting the bottle gently to let him drink and stopping when he needed a break. She was overjoyed that he was still able to take in fluids that well and she hoped she would see the same promising results with the food Tanaka had prepared.

"Would you like a warm drink instead? Tea? Hot water?"

"…F-Fine…" He coughed and she patted his back softly, like a mother tending an infant after feeding. "I'm fine…thanks Ma-" He started coughing again and she repeated the process, this time trying not to cry again.

"How can you thank me? After everything-" He grabbed her wrist and though the hold didn't have a fraction of his usual strength, it was still beyond impressive for one who had been teetering on the brink of complete exhaustion less than an hour ago.

"I-…messed up…don't blame yourself…" She didn't respond as she didn't trust herself but she stroked his hair with a gloved hand and he made a contented noise. "Feels good…"

"I'm glad…" she whispered.

* * *

Marisa worked quickly and efficiently. She helped him up once she had ascertained that he could still stand and guided him to the bathroom where she sat him down under the warm spray of the shower and washed him off briskly, minding his wounds. Then she patted him dry with a towel before laying him out on the sofa and dotting ointment-soaked cotton wool on the cuts that littered his body. Then she stripped the bed of its ruined sheets, flipping the heavy mattress in a flash before remaking it with the ease and precision that came with years -decades-of practice.

Once done, she all but carried him back to the bed, resting him on it gently and went to reheat the food Tanaka had prepared. A delicious aroma started to fill the room and his stomach let itself be known. A light pink tinted his cheeks and Marisa's heart swelled to see it.

Tanaka was right…he'll be just fine…

"Sorry…" he muttered and she swatted at him.

"Don't be ridiculous! You haven't eaten in nearly two days!" The microwave pinged and she brought the heated food over to him, holding out a spoon. "Can you feed yourself?" Kagami took the piece of cutlery but they both saw how his hand shook as he did so and she wasted no time taking it back.

"Don't worry. Let me."

...

Kagami made good progress with the meal, managing to finish most of it before he found he couldn't stomach another mouthful.

"I don't think I've ever been this full in…ever…" She laughed.

"I don't think you have either. But heats will do that to you." Her eyes softened as they traced his mostly uncovered form. The marks were still there, though they were healing at a surprising rate but it was clear that he was still far from back to normal. "How are you feeling?"

"A little hot…" Her gaze didn't bother him.

No. That wasn't quite right. It did, somehow, but for a reason she would never have suspected.

I'd be more worried if she did…

She pulled off her glove and pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. The skin-to-skin contact sparked something in Kagami and even though there wasn't anything remotely sexual about it, he could still feel himself responding. Marisa may have sensed this as she withdrew and slid her glove back on, but not before cupping the side of his face dotingly.

"You've been so strong. I don't know how you managed to pull through this but…Tanaka-san was right. If anyone can do it, it's you." The words made Kagami happy but his brow was furrowed.

"I mean…I wouldn't call this an achievement…I…it was insane…"

"I don't doubt that. I've never heard of anyone having a wave even half as long as yours was. If Aomine-sama-" She cut herself off, looking away nervously and the change in her aura set Kagami's own nerves off.

"He…he doesn't know…does he?"

"Of course not!" she said quickly, taking his hand and squeezing it. "Kuroko-sama and Kise-sama won't say a word. They're very trustworthy and it's clear that their loyalties lie with you on this matter. In case you didn't get to hear me when I came down yesterday, they said they were sorry they had to leave so abruptly and they look forward to seeing you again." Kagami managed a full smile at this.

"Yeah. It will be nice to have them around again. Hopefully, I won't be anything like this the next time they're here…" Marisa nodded vigorously.

"Trust me, my darling. The worst is over. Everything from here on out will be a walk in the park, just you wait and see." She petted his head again and he leaned into her side. "And I'll do everything I can this time to make sure you get through this as smoothly as possible.

...

'A walk in the park' was somewhat of an understatement, as Kagami soon found when his second wave hit an hour later. But this time, he was prepared physically and, more importantly, mentally for the unrelenting onslaught that was about to attack.

The unbearable heat from his first wave was slightly more bearable, the pleasure that more overwhelming and loathe though he was to admit it, a small part of him was starting to enjoy the maddening experience. And it was growing in size by the minute.

He could only imagine how debauched he looked but he could bring himself to think about it much and he certainly couldn't find it in himself to care. His sole priority was to keep feeding the fire in his belly through whatever means necessary. At this point, it was unlikely he'd be leaving this heat without some form of long-term wrist impairment and he was beginning to see how effective a heat-partner was compared to going solo.

However, now that the mania had subsided slightly, he was able to truly reconsider his earlier mindset. Whilst even he had to admit the undeniable advantages to having a heat partner, and an alpha at that, he had no desire to have one any time soon.

Scratch that.

He'd rather be entirely consumed by the untameable fires of his heat than allow someone else to touch him the way the depraved part of his mind wanted to be touched. He'd rather die.

And he would never let Aomine get close to him during his heat. Get close to him period.

The thoughts had been out of complete desperation. He hadn't been right in the head. He still wasn't, in all fairness, but he had much more control over his mind than he had twenty-four hours ago and he could confirm that it wasn't something he'd willingly let happen.

But he could see the huge problem heats posed. They were like an incredibly potent drug. All-consuming and completely mind-altering. The lines were so blurred during his first wave that he had no idea which way was up and which way was down. He'd thrown all integrity…all shame to the wind and he'd been stripped down to the bare bones of what he was as a person and as a wolf. His basest desires had been exposed and suddenly, he didn't know what he really stood for any more. It was like the heat had acted like a truth serum; now that the ugly facts were out in the open, directly in front of him, he couldn't really hide from them any more…couldn't pretend they were just delusional voices that didn't really exist.

He'd spent years fighting it but the reality was he was just as much of an omega as any other. Nothing really set him apart. And even though he had tried to deny his first gender, it hadn't changed…anything.

It had also brought to the forefront an even scarier revelation. In the madness of his heat, he had been willing. Which meant that him caving could happen again…it could happen soon. He wasn't beyond that way of thinking at all. He was as much a glutton for pleasure as any other omega in heat and who knew what would happen if another wolf had been there…ifAomine had been there. Would he have been able to say no?

Where the fuck is the line…?

But what worried him more was that he was starting not to care. So what if he wanted someone to screw him comatose during his heats? It didn't mean anything. It didn't make him any less of a wolf so what? One week of fun then he could forget all about it. There was nothing wrong with that.

Everything is wrong…it's all wrong. This isn't me-

"Fuu…so…good…" he moaned as the toy buzzed against his over-sensitive gland. The line between pleasure and pain was completely blurred, possibly permanently.

He was tired of lines.

Tired of thinking.

He just wanted…

"God…I-AAAHHH…" His body bowed as his pleasure started to climb towards its peak and he started pumping the toy frantically into his abused asshole, ignoring the twinge of pain he felt as he did so.

Ignoring was the wrong word.

Relishing the pain. Enjoying it. Because right now, that was all he cared about. Satisfying his body…himself. That was what mattered right now.

And anything that didn't contribute to the blank, white wall that was hurtling towards him right now…

Could fuck right off.

Two days later…

"I'm glad to see that you're back to your spirited-self, Marisa." She glanced over her shoulder from her position at the stove with a happy smile at the butler.

"Can you blame me?" It was reminiscent of the events a few days earlier but Tanaka was grateful that the situation had drastically improved since then.

"No." He smiled back at her. "I cannot."

Kagami's second wave had lasted just over twelve hours which was still abnormally long but Marisa would take what she could get. She still checked on him every two hours and half-way through, she actually got a response. Granted his voice was weak, and all he was letting her know was that he wasn't dead -which her monitor had let her know already- but she was still delighted that he had enough energy to do so and it reinforced her hopes that he was making a speedy recovery.

When his second wave finally ended near midnight, Marisa was at his door less than five minutes later with a hot, scrumptious meal ready for him. She remade his bed again and washed and fed him, even though he assured her he could manage by himself. The level of dedication she had was nothing short of incredible and all her care and attention made him feel warm inside.

"You really don't have to do all this-"

"I do. It's so important that you're looked after during your first heat after such a long time. After any heat. Not only as your assigned carer but as you are a guest at this house, it's my duty as the head housekeeper to take care of you." There was something about her words that made their relationship seem almost impersonal. Kagami didn't know why he was reading so much into it and it likely wasn't what she meant by it, but he felt almost hurt.

Fucking heats…they're messing with me...-

"And anyway…" she continued softly. "All that aside, even if none of that applied, I would still take care of you." Kagami sighed.

"Like I said, you don't have to apologise. It's my fault for staying on those damn pills so long-"

"Well I'm glad you've learned your lesson." Kagami looked shamefaced and she smiled gently, combing her hand through his thick, two-toned hair. "But that wasn't what I meant. I care about you a lot, Kagami. Tanaka-san does too. We were both so worried about you during your first wave…" She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, her eyes twinkling. "But if you ask Tanaka-san, he'll definitely deny it." The warmth that had been fading in his chest bloomed with renewed vitality and he leaned into her motherly touch.

"Thank you for looking after me…Mari-chan…" The colour on his cheeks was evident and Marisa held him close to her.

"There's no need to thank me. I'm doing what anyone would do in my situation." She pinched his cheek fondly. "You're a complete angel. I was doomed to fall for you from the very beginning."

* * *

Aomine threw the lifeless body away from him, wiping his bloodied hands on the wall with a tut of disgust. This mission wasn't getting any less complicated. It was like the deeper they got into things, the more complex they became. He wondered if they'd be able to find their way out unscathed. A voice in his head told him to back out while he still could; stick to the bare minimum.

Aomine told it to go fuck itself.

"Who was that, Aomine-kun?" The corpse on the floor didn't resemble anyone he'd seen recently. Then again, Aomine had done a number on it. His icy, blue eyes flitted over the similarly mangled bodies strewn around the room.

On all of them…

"Uh…a bad guy?"

"Idiot. At least try to refrain killing people when you are uncertain of their identity. It makes it that much harder to keep track of the death toll."

"Good," Aomine grunted. "I like making life difficult for you." Midorima debated retaliation but he felt Akashi's presence nearby before he could act on it.

"Imbecile," he said, giving him a withering look, but left it at that.

"Right back at you."

"Daiki, Shintarou has a point. We aren't here to decimate packs…or rather, that isn't our ultimate goal. We are here to get to the head of the Rygos and take them down before they catch wind of how much damage we have done to the rest of their ranks."

The death toll, that Midorima had been painstakingly keeping track of, had been nearing five hundred at the last count. Taking into account Aomine's recent attack it had likely exceeded that number.

They had been moving quickly and quietly, having done enough investigation to determine which packs were less important to the group and quickly taking out as many as possible. The idea was to hit them hard and fast but in starting from the lesser packs and working upwards in brutal, stealth attacks, by the time the main groups caught up to what they were doing, they'd be significantly lacking in man power.

They had split into groups: Kise and Murasakibara were heading up one team made of a collection of about ten of some of their strongest betas and alphas; Midorima and Kuroko were largely involved in infiltration, scoping and the smaller, undercover attacks; Aomine was going lone wolf and Akashi was overseeing the entire operation.

The plan was almost full-proof but it meant that time was of the essence and none could be wasted as they didn't know when the Rygos would finally catch on and attempt to counter-attack or worse, to flee. If they escaped now, they would almost certainly report what had happened and the whole mission would be ruined. Not to mention, the risk for them would grow exponentially.

It was all a matter of time.

Which was something Aomine needed more of. A lot more of.

Akashi had cornered his younger brother days earlier, to 'lightly inquire' what was causing his foul mood. Of course, Aomine hadn't disclosed anything. Willingly, anyway.

But Akashi always had a way of knowing. As soon as he managed to pin him with that intense, maroon stare, Aomine knew it was all over. But whatever he had given away, Akashi didn't comment on. Instead, he told him to refocus himself on the task at hand and Aomine had. Most of their current success had been down to his tactical planning, with support from Midorima and Kuroko as far as the technicalities went. Akashi had watched him work silently, making the odd suggestion here and there but ultimately, leaving him to it. He had seemed impressed with what Aomine had come up with and impressing the redhead wasn't an easy feat.

But keeping up the front had been nearly impossible.

His mind was abuzz with thoughts of Tanaka's note. Of what could be happening back at home while he was out here on this mission. Of Kagami.

His safety. His condition. His anything.

Aomine had heard nothing since he'd left and Kuroko and Kise had volunteered anything more than 'he's settling in well'. Aomine knew they were hiding something but no matter how hard he pushed, they wouldn't say any more. If anything, Kuroko tried to spin things so that he just ended up looking like a typical, over-protective alpha.

Fucking Tetsu…

"What was that, Aomine-kun?" He jumped slightly and hunched his shoulders.

"Tch. Nothing."

"I thought so."

He wanted to call Tanaka and talk to him properly. He wanted to fully understand the situation. He wanted to be back at his mansion so he could look after things himself. Look after those he cared about…

Kagami incl-

Fuck. Off.

It wasn't that he cared about the redhead. But he wouldn't have anyone harming what was his. He was a possession. Nothing more.

But he's fucking useless…he needs someone there to stop him from getting his dumb ass killed.

Sure he does…and I'm guessing you're the only wolf for the job, huh?

Did you not hear me earlier?

But calling him meant time. Time was something he didn't have. Not only that, but it would risk their location being uncovered as the phone call could be traced. They were always changing base but the enemy catching on to where they were now was a headache nobody needed.

Ring, ring!

Aomine nearly jumped again as his phone began to ring quietly. The other three turned to him almost accusingly and he growled agitatedly to hide his embarrassment at the foolish mistake.

"What? I turned it back on after I killed them!" he grumbled defensively and Kuroko shook his head. Had they been working undercover, that careless move could have spelt the end of the operation.

The number was private and he immediately knew it couldn't be Tanaka.

He didn't know how he felt about that.

"What is it, idiot?" he snapped. There was no response. "Hello?"

"…Aominecchi?"

"Well, duh. You called me, so I don't get why you're acting like you're surprised I picked-wait." It sounded like Kise was holding his breath and cobalt eyes narrowed. "What the fuck happened."

Kuroko motioned for him to put the phone on loudspeaker but in an act of pettiness, Aomine pretended not to see him.

"It isn't a bad thing…"

"Spit it-AH, FUCK Tetsu!" he growled, swiping at the shorter wolf but only getting a few baby-blue hairs. "Spit it out."

"Well, we took out the unit we were supposed to…-HEY! Murasakibaracchi!" There were sounds of squabbling as Kise's voice grew slightly fainter and Aomine could feel his blood starting to boil.

"If you two asshats want to fight, do it off the fucking phone-"

"We killed them all, Mine-chin." Murasakibara sounded oddly accomplished and Aomine wasn't sure whether to feel relieved about this information or worried.

"Well…good job, giant. That was the plan."

"Murasakibaracchi, let me go-"

"But we're running out of time."

"Again, stating the obvious there. Did someone hit you on the head? Hard?"

"No, but-give it back, Kise-chin." He sounded irritated.

"No! It's my phone." Aomine seriously debated cutting the call, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. Kise's next words, however, had them snapping open.

"They killed two of our guys."

"Wha-HOW?" At the change in Aomine's tone, the other three wolves listened in more closely.

"It was an ambush…there were only supposed to be about a hundred but…"

"How many were there?"

"A lot more than a hundred," Murasakibara supplied and Kise made noises of agreement.

"But the problem is, we don't know if the head honchos planned this or not. But it looks like they did. And if they did…we're running out of time…big time…"

"Alright-ah fuck, alright. You guys just get as far away from there as possible but don't come back here. Go bury our dead. I'll call you in an hour." He ended the call before either could respond and pinched the bridge of his nose. He should have expected it, really. Things had been going far too smoothly.

"'Our dead'?" Akashi asked, raising a slim brow. Aomine sighed.

"Long story short? We're basically out of time."


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER:19

Kagami didn't know if he was ready to go back into the real world. And by real world he meant the rest of Aomine's colossal house. He'd really grown to appreciate the heat room; he'd grown used to it. The last two weeks had been nothing short of life-changing and he knew that they had permanently altered his mindset in one way or another. He would likely see justhow much in the near future, but that wasn't worth thinking about now. But he didn't know how it would feel being around other people again after having been so isolated and so self-consumed for the past fortnight. It wasn't that he was scared of going back out -he had no reason to be- but it still felt…weird.

He took one last look around, taking in the place that had been his home during his heat and marvelling how incredibly it had been designed. And by Midorima, the wolf of few words but many unimpressed looks.

He could stay quiet the rest of his life if he just kept making things like this.

Well, that wasn't particularly fair. He had nothing against Midorima as it was, so he didn't really mind if he spoke or not. He had caught a bit of a condescending vibe from him -likely because he was an omega, it always was- and whilst Kagami would be the first to set him straight if he said anything he didn't like, he was sure that the green-haired wolf having the ability to speak was more of a blessing than a curse.

The fact that he'd seen him going head-to-head, verbally, with Aomine on more than one occasion may or may not have played a part in his willingness to allow Midorima to speak-

Wait. Why the hell am I thinking about this anyway?

The heat room. This magnificent heat room.

Kagami wouldn't lie and say he was the most cultured person he knew but even he knew how to appreciate art. True art.

Midorima clearly had a role in their team as his mind was a brilliant one. He could only imagine what else he'd created since this masterpiece. He wondered what he was doing for their current mission.

Breaking open safes? Hijacking security systems? Fighting with Aomine?

Kagami shook his head. Somehow it always went back to Aomine. It irritated him somewhat but at the same time, didn't. Because, deny it though he might, the bluenette did have his uses.

His eyes drifted down to the bag of clothes in his hand and his cheeks coloured. Aomine would never need to know. About the clothes, or this heat or their compatibility. And Kagami was sure he knew nothing about it because he was a complete idiot. That may have been slightly hypocritical coming from him and he was aware of that, but it didn't change his stance. Aomine was dumb. Far-from-bright. Intellectually-challenged. Whatever one chose to call it, it all applied in Kagami's humble opinion. Regardless, Aomine clearly had no idea what the word meant or how it applied to them and Kagami had every intention of keeping things that way.

Still, if he was being completely honest, he was curious about what they were up to now. He doubted he'd ever find out exactly what they did because it was likely confidential.

Nothing an omega like me would need to worry about…

He snorted and walked towards the door. Who knew though? Maybe Kuroko or Kise would tell him a few stories once they got back.

* * *

The motorboat sped silently over the pitch-black waters, making its way across the East China Sea to the eastern shores of the most populous country in the world. Their target.

Four days earlier...

Following Kise and Murasakibara's report, they suddenly found that they were running on borrowed time. The Rygos would definitely be onto them if they weren't already and whilst they'd decimated enough of their numbers that they could probably take them, that was only if they knew when they were coming. A surprise attach could still lead to unnecessary, avoidable casualties. And more importantly, if their Chinese counterparts heard of what had happened, they would be quick to run and cover their tracks and the whole operation would be over before they knew it.

Well, that was the best possible outcome. There was also a large possibility that they'd ambush them the moment they reached Chinese shores. And based on the size and notoriety of the group for being cut-throats...

They'd be lucky if even two of them made it away alive.

Every passing second brought them closer to danger and made him reconsider his decision to try and take down the entire trafficking ring.

And it wasn't just him.

"Daiki." Aomine opened his eyes wordlessly upon hearing his brother's voice call his name. They were travelling towards the Rygos main hideout in separate black SUVs as it was close to one hundred miles from the den they had last ambushed. Akashi had encouraged them all to get some semblance of sleep whilst they could as the journey was set to take a few hours.

They planned to rendezvous with Kise and Murasakibara to inform them of the full details of their plan before putting it into action. The aim was to capture the Rygos trio, preferably alive, and cripple the rest of their forces so that a retaliation wouldn't be possible. Or, as Aomine simply put it, 'kill everyone but the big guys'.

Akashi telling people to rest had been advice. But neither he nor his little brother were taking said advice. The former did so to keep an eye on things. The latter was too worked up.

"I'm listening."

"You seem to be…aggravated." Aomine closed his eyes again, snorting quietly and folding his muscular arms over his chest.

"Maybe I am."

"It's never too late to reconsider your plan of action. Removing the possibility of the Rygos reforming would be more than a success. No one would think any less of you and I'm sure you would be able to find more than enough ways to entertain yourself at home instead of pursuing the rest of this mission." This time, he cracked a single, sapphire eye open, swivelling it to glance at his older brother before closing it again. An odd smile curled the corner of his lips.

"Crazy. It almost sounds like you're chickening out. Never thought I'd live to see the day. And if that ain't a death flag, I don't know what is." Akashi almost rolled his eyes. Almost.

"It appears that you have forgotten my capabilities, little brother. Perhaps I should remind you, once we return." Aomine's eyes remained firmly shut but he seemed a lot less carefree and a lot more anxious.

"Alright, alright…" he muttered. "No need to threaten me."

"Threat is such a strong word…"

"Like fuck it is-" he grunted.

"Language." Aomine did roll his eyes, as well as one could with their eyelids closed. "I can see that." This time Aomine's eyes snapped open and he looked equal parts freaked out and annoyed.

"Fine! You have my attention. What are you trying to do here, Akashi?"

"Nothing. I'm just trying to affirm that this is really your desired course of action."

"And if it is?" There was an undertone of challenge in his voice.

"There's no need to be defensive. I'm not trying to undermine your decisions or your authority."

"Really? Doesn't sound like it." Akashi said nothing for a few moments before trying again.

"You do realise that travelling to China imposes a much greater risk on our whole pack."

"And what? Everything we do is a fucking risk. It ain't easy ruling the Underworld, you know."

"But wouldn't you rather keep that as low as possible? I'm sure Kagami is waiting for you to return." Aomine turned his entire upper body to face the redheaded wolf, both slim eyebrows rising in what could only be described as mild disbelief before they both retracted as his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Is this a joke? Did Mom put you up to this?"

"The last I spoke to Mother was before we left, so no."

"Well then, what the fuck are you on?" Akashi raised his own eyebrow.

"Language. I don't follow."

"The f-hell you don't." Akashi's expression remained unchanged. "In case those all-seeing eyes of yours aren't working, I'll give you a head's up. That omega hates my fucking guts." Akashi lowered his eyebrow but his eyes now bored into Aomine's. The bluenette knew what he was doing -or trying to do- and shifted slightly under the intrusive gaze.

"You know he despises you…" Aomine felt the need to flinch at the word, but didn't.

Why should I? It's not like it's a surprise or anything…

"You know and yet…here you are…" Everything about Aomine's resulting body language told Akashi the conversation was over. If it had ever even started.

"I don't know what the heck you're talking about. But we're doing this. If you're too scared, you can turn tail and go home. Won't make no difference to me."

He'd gone too far. Ordinarily he would've been biting his tongue. Maybe even making a show of submission to appease the other wolf. Right now he didn't care. Akashi spent most of his life going too far with people but he could get away with it because he was Akashi.

Aomine was simply replicating the behaviour he'd grown up around. Besides, Akashi deserved a taste of his own medicine every once in a while.

There was a subtle but highly dangerous shift in the aura in the car. To those who didn't know Akashi, they would've just experienced sudden uneasiness but would not have known why. However, they all knew him very well and knew that he was becoming angry. The beta in the driver's seat hunched his shoulders, cowering slightly as though bracing himself for impact. He didn't dare turn away from the road.

Akashi smiled slightly, his maroon eyes unreadable.

"And what kind of older brother would I be if I left you here by yourself? Mother would be highly disappointed."

* * *

They arrived a few hours later at the supposed hideout that Kise and Murasakibara were staying at. They hadn't communicated verbally with each other since the phone call the blonde had made a night ago, but one of their men had been texted their location in order to ensure anonymity.

Kuroko knocked one on the door, then twice then once again as Aomine and Akashi walked towards where he and Midorima stood with the rest of their group.

The lock turned and the door swung open to reveal Kise and a disgruntled-looking Murasakibara as well as eight other alphas and betas. Kise flung himself at the person closest to him which, as Kuroko had taken several pre-emptive steps back, happened to be Aomine. Murasakibara sniffed the air almost delicately and his expression worsened before he turned around slowly and sloped back into the darkness of the hideout. Two of their party stayed outside and stood sentinel on either side of the door.

"Aominecchi! I'm so glad you guys are he-OW!" He grabbed the top of his now-injured head, letting go of the bluenette to do so, and he walked past the tearful blonde, tutting.

"And here was me thinking they'd managed to get to you in the end. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky next time."

"Mean, Aominecchi!" Aomine didn't even look at him, instead venturing further into previously abandoned building. "What's with you?" he drawled lazily, slumping on the couch beside the agitated purple-haired wolf and digging into his ear.

"I apologise Atsushi. We had to move promptly and I was unable to bring you any food. But I guarantee we will stop for something to eat once this part of the mission is complete." Murasakibara wasn't appeased but he quickly accepted the fact that him being miserable wouldn't get him fed any faster, so he tried to ignore his ever-growing hunger.

"Kise-kun, I assure you, we're all happy to see you and Murasakibara-kun alive and well as well as the rest of the team." Kuroko smiled kindly at the small assembly of wolves that stood back respectfully as the Miracles pack took the seats and guided Kise to one of the aforementioned chairs.

"Yeah…but Aominecchi said…-"

"Aomine says many foolish and misguided things on a daily basis. You of all people should be aware of this, being as you are a frequent offender yourself." Kise didn't know whether to feel comforted or affronted so he just blinked and allowed Aomine to respond for him.

"Go die, four-eyes."

"Daiki, I truly long for the day when you can live peacefully with everyone else. I sincerely hope I'm there to see it."

"Death flag, Akashi, major death flag." The redhead shook his head slowly but there was a hint of a smile on his face. He clapped his hands thrice and the two wolves standing guard entered the room.

"As we're running short on time, I'll give the newcomers an abridged version of our plan for the next twenty-four hour-"

The gunfire was deafening.

It tore through the tired walls of the old building like they were made of paper, the sounds of the shots ringing painfully in their hyper-sensitive ears like shrieking claxons. Most of them were still fast enough to dodge the storm of bullets but Kise and one of the wolves who had been standing outside were caught in the hail before the latter was sharply tugged out of the way of the assault by Kuroko. Eventually, the onslaught came to a halt.

Kise's golden orbs widened at the blood now seeping gradually out of his chest in tiny, crimson rivers.

"I-I got shot…" His eyes slowly filled with tears as he fell forward on his knees, his head hung low.

Silence.

"Does…?"

Silence.

His blonde head snapped up, his cheeks flushed with hot, red annoyance.

"Does no one care?!"

"No." Aomine snorted. "Drama qu-fuck, Tetsu not the-OW!"

"Of course we do, Kise-kun. But you understand, we have significantly more pressing matters to deal with right now, don't you?" Kise nodded slowly with a slight pout, pulling himself up and ejecting the tiny lumps of lead from his body so they fell to the ground with dull, metallic pings.

"Yes, Kurokocchi…" Akashi shook his head and fixed his gaze on the giant wolf who hadn't actually moved from the couch in his evasive action.

"Would you be so kind, Atsushi?" He turned his head, his eyes drooping shut before pointing south-west.

"Over there, Aka-chin." Akashi stepped forward and bent over, picking up one of the bloody, metal pellets on the floor before throwing it so fast in the direction Murasakibara had indicated, none of them really saw him move but they all knew he had.

This was confirmed when they heard a groan and the sound of a body falling to the ground.

"As I was saying before the interruption, our aim is to…actually, Daiki, as you're heading up this entire operation, why don't you do the honours?" Aomine sighed but there was a gleam in his eyes. The same gleam he always got when heads were about to roll.

"Unless the Rygos are here -which I fucking doubt, because they're cowards- you can take everyone out. And the faster we move, the faster we can-"

"Eat?" Murasakibara interjected, hopefully.

"No-fuck, yeah, fine eat-"

"So we kill them, Aka-chin?" he asked, looking to Akashi for confirmation. The other wolf nodded.

"Yes, Atsushi. We kill them."

"I thought I was supposed to-you know what? Fuck it. Kill them. Eat them. Do whatever. Let's just get this over with. I wanna sleep-"

"You were advised to sleep in the car, but being the idiot you are-"

"Did I ask you, four-eyes?"

"Now, now, they seem to be re-loading. We don't want to lose the Rygos, do we?" There was a shift in the aura in the room, so strong the giant party surrounding the building all started to feel a tingle of fear, despite their numbers.

Aomine's eyes began to slit and he cracked his neck.

"Well what are you guys waiting for? Get moving."

Present…

Each of their speedboats held two Miracles and one Rygos member. All the other wolves had been left behind in Japan to regroup and increase their numbers. Akashi also took the losses of any member of their clan very seriously and following the deaths of two of their wolves after Kise and Murasakibara's ambush, he was being especially cautious. He refused to let anyone follow in their wake until they had arrived safely in China. They planned to meet with another ruling clan there that Akashi had been in contact with once the news had broken that there was more to the Rygos' scheme, who would provide them with shelter, all their necessary equipment they needed and a base for operations.

"Is it me, or is Akashicchi getting scarier?"

They were posing as their bodyguards. The plan was so outrageous, Aomine had point-blank refused to listen to it at first. But the truth was, it made a lot of sense. Very few knew what they actually looked like and no one would truly believe that they would make so bold a move, neck-deep in enemy territory.

But they were.

And the Rygos were going along with it.

"Define scary."

Sleep was the furthest thing from Aomine's mind in the hours before they began their move to China. Shortly after the Rygos had been captured, their den demolished and their numbers all but eradicated, the Miracles had set up camp in their old lair as it hadn't made sense to move somewhere new when they were soon to leave the country entirely.

They had a large food supply so it wasn't hard to get Murasakibara, and the rest of them, something to satisfy him before sending him to bed. There were more than enough rooms for them, as the lair had previously been home to well over twenty wolves. But they had kept themselves contained in a small section of the underground building in case of a surprise attack. This time, Akashi was a lot more forceful in insisting everyone go to sleep and they all listened this time, not wanting to face his wrath.

The Rygos stayed tied up in one of the now ownerless rooms, with two wolves switching guard over them every two hours.

Akashi had made his move in the twilight hours, moving silently from his bed and to the door. Aomine was in the same room as him as he often was. Whether it was a childhood habit that he just couldn't shake or the fact that he felt most at ease with his brother around was anyone's guess. But he wouldn't pretend that he had heard or seen him move because Akashi was beyond that now. The only reason he noticed he had gone, despite being awake was because he felt his aura disappear. And again, normally he wouldn't have been able to sense this at all, pack bond aside. But it was exceptionally strong at that moment in time, as he was preparing.

Aomine didn't know the details. But he had seen Akashi do things before. Unexplainable things.

Scary things.

He returned less than an hour later. If he could tell that Aomine was awake -and this was Akashi- he didn't comment on it, instead slipping back into bed like nothing had even happened. Like it was all a manifestation of Aomine's unsettled imagination.

But it wasn't.

By the time they were loading the Rygos onto the speedboats, they had all seen a notable change. Their hostility had all but disappeared, like it had never been there in the first place. They were all subservient…almost friendly. Akashi mentioned nothing about this change in character but he didn't have to. They all knew he was behind it.

"I don't know…just kind of…intimidating…"

"And so? What else is new?" He dismissed the blonde's words easily, not wanting to let the other know how close he was getting. He didn't talk about that side of Akashi. No one did but he'd seen it the most, over the years. He knew that there was something…different…about the way he behaved. About what he was able to do…

"I'm just saying-"

"Well don't."

"But Aominecchi-"

"Want to go for a swim, Kise?"

* * *

They arrived without further incident, at close to two in the morning two days later. The speedboat drivers dropped them off then headed straight back to Japan, to await further instruction. Akashi scanned the shoreline before his sharp eyes picked up suspicious movement a few hundred metres away.

"Please proceed with caution," he murmured lowly, motioning for them to crouch. "Shintarou?" The pale wolf pulled a pair of binoculars from his pocket and raised them to his eyes. After a few seconds, he spoke.

"They appear to be allies. Is there a signal?"

"Of sorts…" Midorima waited. "We shall approach and if they shoot, we know they aren't allies." He couldn't tell if Akashi was being serious or if he was joking but he knew better than to comment on it.

"Tetsuya, over to you." The shortest member of their pack nodded and crawled along the sandy beach on his belly with incredible speed. He had reached their target's location in less than three minutes. Akashi nodded and Kuroko progressed further. There was hardly any sound of a scuffle but in moments, Kuroko raised his hand to signal that the coast was clear and there was no threat.

The rest of the Miracles came to join him, and when they reached the vantage point that they had been monitored from, they found many limp bodies lying on the ground, scattered around Kuroko's feet. He was smiling at a man who looked more than a bit nervous about being in such close proximity to him.

"They should all regain consciousness within the next few minutes," Akashi reassured him, and he nodded after a moment's hesitation. "You will excuse the unorthodox introduction but I thought it best to send over our friendliest face first." The wolf jolted slightly, as if finally taking in the dominating presence he was surrounded with and he gulped then cleared his throat nervously.

"I-I see. Well, once they have all woken up, we will take you to where you shall be based for the time being. Unfortunately, you won't have much time to rest." He looked up at them with the first sparks of confidence they had seen since they had encountered him.

"We are planning a raid at sunrise."


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER:20

"Hello?"

"KAGAMIN?!"

...

The reaction when Kagami had nervously entered the kitchen that morning had been one of joyous surprise.

"Kagami! I'm so glad you're out!"

"Kagami, it's good to see you out and about." Kagami grinned at the happy welcome and at the more informal greeting from Tanaka.

"You can thank Marisa for-!" He just managed to dodge Marisa's well aimed swipe, looking shocked.

"What was that for?!"

"After everything we've been through, you're still calling me Marisa?" She looked highly offended and Tanaka laughed.

"Oh dear, Kagami. It looks like you've upset her."

* * *

After he had made amends with Marisa, she cooked a hearty meal for all of them which they ate in the dining room in the servants' quarters. Kagami had been eating with them even whilst Kuroko and Kise were there, in the times when they were too busy preparing for their mission to come to dinner. Marisa hadn't thought it right at first and had tried to coerce him back into the main dining room to eat but he had refused for a multitude of reasons.

One was the fact that he would be the only one there and he didn't like the thought of eating alone in the gigantic room. Another was the fact that he saw no difference between him and them; he viewed both Marisa and Tanaka as equals. And finally, as he was gearing himself up for a long-term stay in Aomine's household, it made sense to get comfortable, however he saw fit. Marisa eventually agreed but made him promise that he would go back once Aomine returned.

"I don't think I've ever eaten something this good…" he said between bites as he hoovered the food down.

"Don't be silly! That's just because it's been a while since you last ate properly." Her cheeks, however, were tinged with a happy pink and in no way reflected her flimsy denial of the compliment. Tanaka shook his head with a smile. Kagami scarfed down the last of the food and sighed in content, patting his flat stomach.

"You're cooking is crazy good, Mari-chan. If anything, it gets better every time I eat it." She giggled with delight. She wasn't used to being told her cooking was that good; Aomine only ever spoke up when she'd made something he didn't like, which was a rarity in itself. She had been around him for so long that there was little she didn't know about him, especially when it came to something like cooking.

"You charmer, you!"

Kagami was actually quite happy that everyone had gone. And by everyone, he really meant Kise and Kuroko because the presence of the other wolves in Aomine's pack either made him feel nervous or just wholly unpleasant.

Well…the latter only really applies to that blue-haired idiot but whatever.

Though the colossal mansion was notably quieter and he did miss Kuroko's gentle attentiveness and Kise's constant cheer, he was far from lonely. Tanaka and Marisa were proving to be excellent companions for him and now that only the three of them were together, it gave Kagami the opportunity to bond with them. He already felt infinitely closer to the pair of them, especially Marisa, now that his heats were over and things seemed to be getting even better. When he had first come, there had definitely been a barrier between them. They had seen him as another one of 'Aomine-sama's guests' and hadn't expected him to take much interest in them. They never did.

But they quickly realised that Kagami was an entirely different breed to what they had seen before, in more ways than one. And as their interest in him grew, his did likewise. Before long, his heart of gold was no longer a mystery to them, all flawed perceptions surrounding his personality were distant memories, never to be rehashed and they had welcomed him in to their little family with open arms. And he had gladly accepted the invitation.

But as much as he had grown to enjoy being around them, he did have an additional reason for enjoying being by himself.

Less people round here means more food for me…

"Have you heard anything back from them?"

"Unfortunately not. We can only continue to hope that they are still all okay."

"They bust drug rings all the time, don't they? I'm sure they'll be just fine." In light of what Kagami had found out about Midorima, he had no doubt that they would be more than fine if his abilities were anything to go by. Tanaka smiled.

"Quite, Kagami. Quite."

"Kagami sweetie?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you ready for dessert?" The hungry gleam in his eyes was answer enough and she got up to get it but he stopped her.

"Don't worry, I'll go! You sit down." He left the room before she could stop him and they both smiled at his retreating back before Marisa turned to Tanaka with her brow furrowed.

"You're not going to tell him, are you?"

In actuality, he had been in touch with them. Very briefly, as they were making the journey to China. Aomine had called just as he had been turning in to sleep. The phone in the servants' quarters had been on its final rings when Tanaka had caught it.

"Hello?"

"Yo."

"Aomine-sama. I am very glad to hear your voice. I hope you are all well."

"Well enough." Tanaka thought he could hear the sound of someone throwing up in the background. Given the gusto that the person was ejecting bile from their stomach, it was likely Kise. He didn't ask. Some things were better not enquiring about.

"Is there a problem?"

"Ish. I'll be back later than I thought."

"I understand." He didn't ask how the plans had changed nor when he was expected to return. It wasn't his place to and the less he knew, the better.

"How is he?"

Tanaka had absolutely no intention of telling Aomine about Kagami's heat. Whilst he was always honest with Aomine, being one of his closest and only confidantes, he had been sworn to secrecy by Marisa and in this rare situation, his loyalties lay elsewhere.

"Perfectly fine, Aomine-sama. He has settled into life well here." That wasn't too far from the truth so he didn't feel as guilty. Lying to Aomine wasn't something he was familiar nor comfortable with, but he believed he was doing a decent job of it. Time would tell.

"And the other thing." Though his tone had naturally grown lighter at the thought of Kagami, it sobered immediately when he thought of the danger they could all be in.

"Nothing as of yet on the premises. But unfortunately, it would probably be prudent to assume that all the maids are now dead."

"Shit."

"What would you like me to do, Aomine-sama?" Aomine was at a loss. He couldn't send Tanaka out to scout because that would mean leaving the main house unprotected. Or less protected than he would like given the circumstances. He didn't trust just anyone to look after what was most important to him. The main house…

And all that was in it.

"Nothing. Just…fuck…"

"I assure you, Aomine-sama, I will guard them with my life." The corner of the handsome bluenette's lips curled up in a rueful half-smile. The words carried weight and Tanaka certainly wasn't saying them lightly.

"Don't even think about dying on me, old man." He could feel Tanaka smile down the line and he exhaled quickly. "Fine. I'll leave it to you. Just keep everything in order until I get back. I'll think about what to do then."

"As you wish, Aomine-sama. We shall be awaiting your return." His thoughts drifted to Kagami and he snorted.

Yeah right.

"Whatever you say..."

"Godspeed, Aomine-sama." The call ended and Tanaka went to bed. Though sleep came easily that night, his dreams were unsettled.

"There's no reason to let him know."

"Let who know?" They both looked towards the door as Kagami returned, clutching the pineapple crumble like it was a treasure trove. Marisa looked slightly taken aback, but Tanaka seemed to be entirely unfazed.

"We were just discussing Aomine-sama," he lied smoothly. "We both think he will be slightly suspicious that you have yet to experience a heat, as you have been here for close to two months. Even if he were to return tomorrow, it would still be a challenge to convince him that you had not had one. Whilst we have no intention of doing so, we will need to create…an excuse, of sorts."

"Basically, we're trying to come up with a believable lie to…'get him off the scent'…oh! That's quite funny!" She giggled at her own joke and Kagami and Tanaka exchanged a look. The further she stayed away from lying, the better.

"Honestly," Kagami said after a while, once they had started tucking in to Marisa's delicious pudding, "I don't mind if you tell him."

"Really?" Marisa asked, stunned.

"Yeah. I mean…I don't want you guys having to stick your necks out for me like this. And besides, there's no way he'd believe I could go this long without having a heat. Unless I was on medication of course. Which would probably piss him offmore-"

"But it is possible, given that your heats are abnormal…" Marisa interjected.

"But how would you know that if I hadn't had my heat?" Understanding dawned. "See what I mean? Regardless, he'll be pissed either way but there was nothing he could do about it when he's God knows where and I'm over here. He'll get over it."

"I believe you may be right, Kagami. Still, he probably would have wanted to check up on you more, had he been aware of the situation." Tanaka's words made Kagami even gladder that Aomine had been kept in the dark about his heat. Then Marisa jumped up and quickly left the room.

"What's wrong with her?" Kagami looked surprised but then, so did Tanaka. However, she was back in moments, clutching Kagami's phone.

"I kept it in my room during your heat in case it rang-"

"It rang?" Kagami looked confused.

"Of course it did!" The confusion deepened. "Satsuki-sama was calling almost daily towards the end of your heat." Kagami's face broke into a sunny smile.

"How could I forget? God, these heats took damn near everything out of me." He then looked slightly anxious. "I hope she didn't worry too much-you didn't tell her anything, did you?" He liked and trusted Momoi but at the same time, the thought of something so intimate being discussed…especially when he wasn't there…

"Not in so many words, but I believe she deduced fairly early on what was taking place herself."

"I'm not surprised. She's sharper than people give her credit for."

"Don't worry," Marisa soothed. "She'll understand. I think she just wants to know you're okay-" At the moment, the phone decided to interrupt their conversation and sure enough, Momoi's name flashed on the caller ID.

"Talk of the devil!" Marisa handed it over and got up, tapping Tanaka's shoulder. "We'll give you two some privacy." They both walked out of the room and Marisa closed the door softly behind her. Then she reappeared.

"There's extra custard on the stove if you need it!" she stage-whispered and Kagami looked at her gratefully. She grinned then backed out again, closing the door firmly as he answered the call.

...

"Hello?"

"KAGAMIN?!" Momoi's voice was a touch too loud for his highly-sensitive ears -it probably would have been too loud whether they were over-sensitive or not- but he still grinned at the ecstatic response.

"Hey Momoi! How are you?"

"How are YOU?! Oh Kagamin, I'm super glad you're okay! How was your heat?!" Quite like Kise, Momoi lacked tact. In spades. Quite like Kise, Kagami didn't hate her for it. He found it oddly endearing.

"They were fine. I'm a bit tired but otherwise, totally good."

"But why did it take so long? Shouldn't it be like a week?"

"Oh! Because…I caught an infection…" he rattled out quickly. "It set me back a couple of days 'cause I had to recover."

"Oh GOD! Are you okay now?! Should I bring you some antibiotics? Or call a doctor-"

"No, honestly Momoi, I'm fine! I sweat it all out. I'm great now. One hundred percent." Momoi hummed sceptically and Kagami held his breath.

"Well…if you're sure…"

"I am," he reassured her. "But thanks for calling so much to check on me. Maris-Mari-chan told me. You didn't have to." Momoi giggled.

"She's finally got you to say it all the time now, hasn't she?"

"Yeah. I don't mind at all, but it will take some time getting used to. Still, how are you?"

"Oh I'm fine Kagamin, fine!"

They spoke about what Momoi had been up to in the days he had been out of commission and though he was still very much a captive at Aomine's house, the way Momoi told stories made him feel like he had experienced them to. Kagami wondered fleetingly if she was naturally this good or if she was putting in extra effort to make sure he wasn't bored. Either way, he appreciated it.

"Guess what, Kagamin?"

"What?" He'd migrated to his room and now sat in the centre of his gigantic bed, listening to Momoi speak.

"Well…it is hasn't been confirmed one hundred percent but I might be flying out to America by the end of the year!" His ears pricked up at the mention of his homeland and though he felt the bitter pang of homesickness, he was also glad for Momoi as she sounded excited.

"Wow, that's sounds awesome! You seem to be looking forward to it."

"Oh I am, I haven't been there at all. Our parents went there on holiday once when we were much younger but I've always wanted to go there myself. Apparently some of the malls there are out of this world." Kagami laughed.

"You could say that, yeah." He was already aware that Momoi had a slight shopping addiction so she would no doubt feel right at home in America.

"But the reason I bought it up is I wanted to know whether there was anything you wanted to get you while I was out there." Kagami was touched by the gesture but he didn't have anything pressing that he needed from the US.

"Nah, I should be fine but thanks for asking."

"If you're sure. But if you change your mind, make sure you let me know, 'kay?"

"Sure thing." He yawned and moved to lie down. He was ready to shower and go to bed. He felt like he'd earned it.

"Aw, you're tired? Don't worry, I won't keep you much longer. I'll try to come and visit you tomorrow, just to see how you're doing. Is that okay?" Kagami smiled.

"More than okay. I'm already looking forward to it!" Momoi made a happy noise.

"Same here! Okay, I'll let you sleep now! Sweet dreams Kagamin."

"See you soon, Momoi." He ended the call, still smiling, and after a Herculean show of effort, managed to get off his bed and into the shower.

As he let the warm, soothing spray wash over his tired body, he replayed the end of their earlier conversation. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that he was starting to develop a real habit of lying to people.

Well, I wouldn't say lying …more like…not telling the complete truth?

The reality was there was a lot he missed about America. And, if he was that type of person, he could have easily constructed a long list of things for Momoi to bring back for him if she ended up going, especially as she was going to be there near the Christmas season.

However, the main reason for him not asking her to get him anything is that he had no plans of still being in Japan by the time December rolled around. His heats had set him back slightly but it didn't change the fact that he was essentially unmonitored here and he wasn't about to let that opportunity go to waste. He was going to find a way out and make a break for it, Akashi's warnings be damned. All he needed to do was get away from wherever the hell they were now into a city. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, it didn't matter. Once he was there, provided he had a headstart, he would be almost in the clear. His aim was to get onto a plane to the US before they managed to catch him. If he did that, this entire nightmare would be over and he wouldn't have to think about any of this…any of them ever again.

Of course, there would be things he would miss, people he would miss but he could worry about that later. For now, his main aim was to plan his escape.

All he could hope for was that Aomine was still far, far away.

* * *

The Generations had split into different patrols to attack different areas, staying in the pairs they had travelled to China in. At this point, the Senate -the sect they were targeting- were fully aware that they were being attacked. This wasn't wholly out of the ordinary. The size of the group and the evil, twisted nature of what they did meant that they were constantly being chased by the police, assassins, enemy groups or vigilantes seeking justice.

What did matter though, was that they had no idea who was after them this time. Or at least it appeared that they didn't. Whether it was years of successful escapes that had bred arrogance, or they were just that confident that they were all but untouchable at this point, whatever the reason, they didn't seem to be taking their threat seriously. Since the Miracles had arrived, the rebel team in China that they had joined forces with had been blown away by how much the six wolves were capable of. The level at which they operated at was like none that even the most senior wolves in their pack had ever borne witness to, not that they would admit to it. But even as they were, none of them believed it would be enough.

At first, they had greatly underestimated them. It was difficult not to. Despite their overwhelming auras, terrifying appearance and obvious ability, for six wolves to essentially take on the largest crime ring in eastern China was nothing short of suicide. They would support them as much as they could because ultimately, whatever damage they did manage to do would be of benefit to them. It would make it easier to continue where they left off once they were caught, tortured and killed. Not that they hoped for that to be their end but with the way they were operating now, it was the only possible outcome.

'Young, reckless, cocky Sigmas with a lucky streak' is what their pack leader had summed their small, all alpha pack. Taking down the Rygos was no small feat but they had mentioned having support to complete the mission. He had snorted at that. No doubt they had legions of wolves providing support. Because the way they were working now was unheard of…but not good enough to beat the opposition. Decidedly sloppy. A bit too rough around the edges. Slightly too careless.

"What did I expect from a group of pups?" he muttered to himself after seeing the results of yet another raid that Akashi and Kuroko had led. They ticked all the boxes as far as achieving what they had set out to do -recover as many victims alive as possible, cut off communication to the heart of the pack, kill any opposition- but their tracks were too easy to follow. They killed well enough but their technique was lacking and a lot of their success seemed to be down to chance…to getting lucky. It wouldn't be long before one of them ended up dead. He, too, had been inexperienced and rash once. Full of naïve courage. But eventually, he had seen first-hand that in this world, only the most polished, the most cautious and aware, the most grounded stayed alive. Luck and natural ability -raw talent- could only carry you so far. The dull, easy-to-ignore ache in the empty socket where his right eye had once been was a constant, life-long reminder of that. They were excellent now but too many slip-ups would spell the end for them before they knew it. He'd seen it before and this time would be no different.

Akashi felt the poorly-masked judgement coming from the elder. Watched as he surreptitiously shook his head and tried to tidy up after them to make sure the enemy wouldn't be able to trace them, as though he was doing them a favour. Saw the flashes of doubt and disdain as he watched them work.

Smiled.

Everything is coming together beautifully.

He could only hope that the others continued to play the fool as he was. It forced them to swallow their pride and he was certain that one team in particular would have real issues with their game of pretence.

Perhaps I should check on them…

They approached the large, imposing warehouse just after midnight. Aomine and Kise led, with their Chinese team behind them. Kise motioned for them to be alert as there would likely be an attack coming soon.

His hunch proved correct. The doors were blasted open and the smell of gunpowder flooded the air as the Senate's foot soldiers opened fire.

Aomine and Kise moved quickly, weaving in and out of the deadly hail like trained dancers in the fatal ballet. But their movements were measured, a fraction of what they were capable of. As per Akashi's instructions. They made a great show of effort going in to what were almost lazy motions. It was inherently frustrating to have to hold back this much but Akashi wouldn't have them doing otherwise. This was as important to their final mission as was their final plan -a murderous scheme that Akashi had been weaving long before they had arrived on Chinese shores and continued to cultivated. Since they had arrived, had taken centre stage for this operation and they followed their pack leader dutifully, allowing him to move them like obedient chess pieces.

No one truly understood the risk they were facing like the redhead did. But what they all understood was that the only way that they would get out of China safely and accomplish what they set out to do was to follow him faithfully. However difficult it seemed. Their bond of trust was unspoken but ran incredibly deep. They would do as he said. He would lead them safely through to the other side.

But that sure as hell didn't mean they had to like it.

"Watch out!" Kise pulled a slim alpha out of the way, taking the bullet intended for his forehead in his muscled shoulder. He winced and half-jumped, half-fell behind a tree as the gunfire continued. He took his time ejecting it, clutching the bloodied hole.

"Are you alright, Kise?"

That's Kise-sama to you!

He couldn't complain. The Chinese didn't use honorifics in the same way as they did in Japan and even if they did, they likely wouldn't use them anyway. Though he wasn't the most perceptive wolf around, it still didn't escape his notice that they looked down upon them. Even considering how they'd been acting, it wasn't justified. A part of it was due to the envy they held over them being exceedingly-talented pedigree wolves, with endless experience despite their young age. But it mostly was because of what they had been displaying.

A part of Kise enjoyed the prolonged acting session. He reckoned he would've been an amazing actor, had he the chance. But he was proud. And he hated being looked down upon. So this part of the mission was equal parts enjoyable and painful.

"Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry! It will heal in no time!"

Still, if he disliked it this much, he could only imagine how his partner was feeling…

Aomine despised it.

When Akashi had taken them all aside, far from their camp, to explain in detail what their plan was, Aomine had been the most vocal. And he'd been sure to let his brother know what he thought about the first part of their plan of action.

"Fuck that!"

"Daiki, I ask that you attempt to make your criticism constructive, if possible."

"What? So I should let some fucking old guys treat me like I'm a dumb kid for the next three months? THREE MONTHS?FUCK THAT-"

"I understand you want to finish as soon as possible, Daiki. But you have to understand that we're trying to take this group apart completely. Even if we take out their head, they could easily regroup and reform within weeks. Days. And could potentially become even stronger than the previously were. Then all our efforts would be in vain."

"Besides, Aomine-kun, you're the one who-"

"Fuck it! FINE!" he hissed, prowling around in agitation. "I'll do it! But fuck knows I won't like it!" Akashi smiled slightly.

"All I ask for is your cooperation. I'm thankful for it, Daiki."

"Whatever."

Aomine still hated it now. But he knew that he had been the one to insist they dismantle the entire group. So he couldn't really complain.

All their attackers were dead. The whole deadly exchange had lasted all of ten minutes but it had felt like longer given how much shooting he had heard. He was surprised their casualties hadn't been more severe given how much gunfire there had been but their side didn't seem to have suffered any fatalities at all, which was always a good thing. Though Aomine didn't particularly care about any of them, especially in light of the way they viewed him and the rest of his pack, they had to keep up appearances, under Akashi's instruction.

God, he pisses me off sometimes.

Still, this was the biggest raid they had done so far, so things could only be getting better. They had been in China nearly a month, and though things seemed to be moving agonisingly slowly, Aomine was gritting his teeth and biding his time. It would be over before he knew it.

And then he could get back-

"Aominecchi!"

"Fuck what is it Kise?" he snapped. The blonde automatically cowered and the bluenette attempted to smother his anger.

"Shouldn't we go inside and investigate? I mean…everyone's…waiting…" Aomine cast a glance behind him and saw the Chinese team waiting for him to lead them inside and tutted.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's get this over with."

The warehouse seemed to be something like a giant refrigerator. Their breath curled in front of them in icy wisps like smoke from a dragon's nostrils. There were seven giant freight lorries, with their backs facing what had once been the warehouse's entrance and Aomine knew that is where they were keeping the victims they were trafficking.

But something seemed…off…

"Aominecchi-"

"You again." This time, Kise wasn't at all bothered by the knock-back. His perfect nose was tilted in the air and his eyes were closed.

"Do you smell that?"

"What?" He sniffed but all he could pick up was the acrid remains of their warfare and the metallic tang of spilled blood. The men and women behind him seemed completely clueless and Aomine felt the urge to hit Kise on the back of the head. Not an uncommon phenomenon.

"Kise you idiot, quit fuc-"

There.

There was definitely something else in the air.

Dead bodies.

But not fresh dead like the ones that had just fallen.

No. These corpses had been there for some time.

Kise opened his eyes and looked at his pack mate. His eyes spoke volumes. They wordlessly moved over to the truck closest to them and broke the latch, allowing the door to shutter open.

They were totally assaulted with a wave of putrid, rotting flesh so strong their eyes watered. Many of the wolves behind them recoiled at the sight and the smell of the piles of dead, mutilated festering bodies sitting in the back of the vehicle. There was no telling how long they had been there but it had definitely been a while.

Now all the seemingly excessive shooting made sense. It was a cover so that they wouldn't catch on to the sent faster. A shroud for a sickening surprise.

Aomine heard Kise retch quietly.

He strode past the lorries, opening the backs one by one, seeing the dame disgusting scene inside. Some of them were riddled with bullet holes, fresh and old. It turned his stomach. When he reached the final one, he heard a noise. As the door rose, he saw a scrawny, hunched figure almost glued against the cold rusty walls of the lorry. Aomine couldn't tell if they were male or female, wolf or human. They smelled to strongly of excrement and death.

They hadn't responded physically to the door being opened, their head still tucked against their bony knees like an ugly, featherless vulture. But Aomine heard the desperate whisper.

"Please…kill me…p-please…"

They had seen enough of the world. And how evil it could really be. There was no need to keep them alive. Death was the kindest option. Even though they were physically alive, inside they had likely died a long time ago.

"Lift your head up. I'll slit your throat. You won't even feel it."

Kise's sharp ears had picked up the entire exchange but he stayed away and left Aomine to make the call. He was glad it had been him to find the sole survivor. Had he been in his shoes, he would've been at a complete loss.

The pathetic thing lifted its head and Aomine could now see that it was a male. Whether it was wolf or human was still unknown.

"Open your eyes. Don't you want to see who kills you?" Kise winced. The wolves in their team murmured but one look from Aomine and they shut up immediately.

Slowly, as though the movement itself would kill him, he opened his eyes, staring into Aomine's face. The bluenette looked back at him levelly, scanning those deep, pained, tired eyes.

None of them saw him move but they knew he had as when he walked back to them, he was in his vest.

"One of you go pick him up. The rest of you…" His hard, sapphire eyes scanned the decrepit hell-hole and he spat on the dirty ground beside him, his lips twisting into the sneer.

"Burn this shit-hole to the ground."

* * *

A few months later…

The past few months had been almost blissful for Kagami. He had had complete freedom within the walls of Aomine's house and despite feeling restricted at first, he had to admit that in this place, there were endless activities for him to do. Between being taught the essentials of cooking and house-keeping by Marisa -and subsequently being fed to bursting point-, playing every card and board games under the sun with Tanaka -and losing every last one- and just exploring the colossus that was Aomine's 'humble abode' he had no time at all to even begin to be bored. Coupled with visits from Momoi, that were interspersed randomly throughout his weeks there, and his personal mission to find a way out, the weeks had flown by.

His plan to escape had hit a snag. Or rather, he had hit a snag. Though he still wanted his freedom, very much, he recognised that he was starting to see this place as something of a home. And he was definitely attached to Marisa and Tanaka. Momoi too. Possibly too much at this point. Definitely too much to leave with a clear conscience. Just thinking about it all made his head hurt.

Then again…it's probably the hormones…

Kagami was coming into his third heat since 'moving in' to Aomine's house. The second one had been far less tempestuous than the first but it was still what Marisa had classified as 'abnormal'. Maybe he'd damaged his body permanently after being on suppressants for so long. That's what Marisa believed. He suspected that he'd been messed up all along. Which was fairly ironic, all things considered.

Still, a small part of him was actually looking forward to the heat as it meant that he could be in the amazing heat room for the next two weeks. Plus, all his thoughts would be centred around satisfying his carnal cravings and thus, he wouldn't have to think about what he planned on doing once his heat was over.

And whether he'd finally attempt his escape.

He'd been planning intensely, keeping all evidence of it hidden in his room. He'd scoped out possible routes and he'd narrowed it down to three. He'd strike once Tanaka went to bed, just after eleven. The only problem was he still didn't know where he was relative to any major cities but he had a fairly good idea of how long it would take to get to one. Eight hours maximum if he ran non-stop and once he recovered from his heat, that would be more than possible. Once he reached a city, all he would need to do would be to make some phone calls and hopefully, he could be on his way out of Japan by the end of the day.

He planned to call Momoi over to visit the day before so that he could ensure she wouldn't be around the next day as she never visited two days in a row or stayed over. A part of the reason behind that was she was simply too busy but it was also because she forced herself to limit her time around Kagami. She was struggling with her own feelings of attachment and attraction but refused to indulge in them out of respect for Kagami and Aomine.

Kagami had it all planned out. It was whether he'd be able to do it once the time came.

He didn't want to think about it right now.

"Oh are you kidding me?" It was like desperately needing to use the bathroom on the journey home after school, running to the front door of your house then realising you didn't have your keys. Kagami growled quietly in irritation. He still hadn't moved his things into the heat room when his heats were due to start in the next few hours, by the feel of things. Marisa had nagged at him to get himself sorted, but he'd been enjoying their company too much and hadn't wanted to isolate himselfjust yet.

Once the sun started to set and she'd yelled at him to 'get his butt downstairs, now!' he'd hastily gotten his things together, taken a shower and had trotted down obediently to the heat room, his skin already coated with a thin sheen of sweat.

Only to find he'd left the keys behind.

He looked hopefully at the sensor as though it would somehow let him in if he stared at it long enough. After a few minutes, he threw his things down in frustration and stomped back upstairs to his room to get his keys. He quickly softened his steps when he heard Marisa shift in her room. If she found him out and about, she'd never stop.

He never returned to pick them up.

Kagami rolled his eyes fondly and made his way up yet more stairs until he reached his bedroom, heading straight to the dresser where he kept his keys. He deliberated bringing a few more of Aomine's clothes that he kept at the bottom of his drawer and eventually picked out a shirt.

On instinct, he brought the soft cotton to his nose, inhaling the intoxicating scent and letting it flood his senses. He felt himself grow slightly hotter, slightly wetter.

It was probably why he didn't notice until it was too late.

"Well. Well. Well. If this ain't the best welcome home present, I don't know what is."


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER: 20

Numb.

He was numb.

It was similar to what some would call an out-of-body experience. It was like he was watching everything happen to him but he wasn't actually there. It wasn't that he was in denial. It was more like he wasn't able to acknowledge that it was actually happening.

Or so he told himself.

'It'.

That was the best he could do. The closest he could get to giving a name to what was happening to him. To the violation, the assault, the attack that was currently taking place.

He was lying to himself.

He was completely in denial.

He was in shock. Cold, mind-numbing shock that crawled all over his skin, its icy tentacles trapping him.

This couldn't be happening.

Not after everything. All the years he had convinced himself that he wasn't the type of omega to ever get caught up in something like this...to ever allow himself to be taken advantage of like this-

No.

No, that wasn't right. It wasn't true. He didn't allow anything. There wasn't a single shred of consent on his part.

He'd been confused before but now he saw everything with sickening clarity.

There was a line.

A very clear line.

A bold, offensively-clear line.

And Aomine had just crossed it.

He'd trampled all over it.

And he didn't even seem to care.

…

"Well. Well. Well. If this ain't the best welcome home present ever, I don't know what is."

All the hairs on his body stood on end as he registered the deep, all-too-familiar voice behind him. A painful knot formed in the pit of his stomach and he was hit with an almost crippling wave of nausea.

Please. Not now.

"What you doing?" he asked almost playfully. It only served to heighten Kagami's intense fear and build the trepidation in the air.

"Getting ready."

It was a controlled, cautious murmur. He didn't trust himself to speak any louder. He didn't think his voice would hold out. He didn't think he could hide his terror.

Except he couldn't. He reeked of it at this point.

His senses were overloaded to the point of breakdown. There were so many different scents and feelings in the air that it was impossible to focus on one. Coupled with his overwhelming fear, it was no surprise that he didn't notice.

Until it was far too late.

"Getting ready for...what...?"

Kagami swallowed softly, not sure how to address the elephant in the room. Of course, there was no way he hasn't noticed Kagami's scent. He knew the redhead was on his heat. Kagami could smell it on him. The animalistic lust...

But he didn't want to be the one to say it. He didn't want to draw more attention to it.

Just keep calm. Keep calm and talk him out of this.

"You know what." His voice was even. Firm. But not aggressive. Quite the opposite.

It made him feel even sicker.

"I do, do I?"

What was with this game? Kagami didn't understand what Aomine was trying to achieve. Did he want to scare him? He'd long since managed that, loathe though he was to admit it. Assert his dominance? He was really struggling to read the situation and wished that he could see his face, to give him some kind of hint as to what the other wolf was thinking.

Neither had moved since Aomine had let his presence at the door. Kagami hadn't turned around; his pride hadn't let him. He hadn't wanted to give Aomine the satisfaction of seeing him genuinely afraid. But he regretted his decision now. The suspense was killing him, not knowing what he was thinking.

Why now? Why-

"You know, I thought about you. While I was away."

It was oddly sincere. Slightly contemplative. There was something sinister about it.

"A lot. I thought about you...a lot..."

He didn't sound right. He didn't sound normal. He sounded unhinged.

What the hell happened to him while he was gone?

"I wanted to have you."

His voice and even his words. It sounded like Aomine but at the same time didn't.

Kagami inhaled deeply, squaring his shoulders.

This was crazy. He couldn't let himself be scared senseless, and over what? He needed to face him and get him to snap out of whatever state he was in. And there was no way he'd be able to do it by cowering in the corner like a…like a-

Like a scared omega.

He breathed in again. Deeper this time. Bolder.

If they went toe-to-toe, he'd obviously lose. There was no question that Aomine's physical capabilities were far superior to his. He was an alpha, Kagami was an omega. That was just how things worked.

However, he needed to read the situation. If Aomine wouldn't be swayed, then he'd have to make a quick getaway. From what he could sense now, the bluenette was still by the door. If he could draw him closer, he would have-

"I like that about you. You never give up."

His eyes widened in horror as he felt the caress of breath against his neck…

But he hadn't even heard him move.

He threw himself forward, trying to put some distance between them but then he felt a crushing weight hit him, slamming him into the ground and knocking all the air from his lungs.

"Aomine!" he rasped desperately. "Let me-"

The weight eased and Kagami urgently took in a lungful of air. He hadn't expected the bluenette to listen to him but was glad that he had. Or at least, he was to begin with.

He felt Aomine's hand at his waist and before he could push it away, it was tightening its grip and quickly rolling him over, onto his back. As his back came into contact with the carpet, he got his first look of Aomine…

And finally realised he'd gravely underestimated just what he was messing with.

He couldn't really breathe. The fear was palpable. Tangible. He could taste it.

His eyes were not meant to look like that.

His teeth were not meant to look like that.

His face was not meant to look like that.

This wasn't even Aomine anymore...

He needed to escape.

Adrenalin pumped through his vessels and his blood drummed in his ears as he eyed the door quickly. There was very little space between them but it would have to be enough. He was going to have to fight his way to freedom.

He kneed Aomine savagely before twisting free of his hold to slash at his face. The wolf above him grabbed his arm, intercepting his attack and Kagami used the leverage to kick him hard in the side then shot out of the opening he created, heading straight for the door. His heart was hammering as those few metres felt like miles but he could see his exit and stretched out his arm. His hand brushed over door knob but he found couldn't grip it.

What the -

Arms tightened around his waist and he was thrown onto the bed. He landed on his side and as he hit the mattress, the impact sending searing pain radiating throughout his right arm that made him cry out in agony. He tried to move it out from under him but found he couldn't.

Aomine was above him in an instant, flipping him over again and pushing the limp arm out, staring at it as though admiring his handiwork.

"You son-of-a-bitch!" he spat venomously, gritting his teeth against the pain. Aomine didn't respond to the insult. Kagami wasn't even sure he had heard.

The slitted, midnight-blue eyes turned from his heavily-broken arm to his face and focused on it. The look was unnerving. It was terrifying. Kagami didn't know who this person was. He couldn't call him a person. He couldn't really call him a wolf either. This…being…was so far removed from anything he'd seen before that he didn't know how to handle it.

But he did know what this beast wanted. He could smell it stronger than ever.

And it spelt nothing but danger for him.

"Get away from me…" he started lowly, not breaking eye contact. "I'll call Tanak-"

"You never give up, do you?" Kagami stared at him like he was insane. He was. This thing was dangerous.

"Wh-" With a slash of his hand, his clothes on his chest turned to ribbons. Kagami could feel the lines of pressure from where his claws had brushed just above his sweaty skin.

Aomine brushed away the tattered fabric, exposing more of the slick caramel and his scent became overpowering.

It's because of…am I causing this?

The hands moved deliberately lower and panic started to claw at Kagami's throat. He moved a hand to stop him and Aomine's eyes snapped up, warning him not to try anything. He took the redhead's wrist and put the hand beside his head almost gently before moving back to his to his waistband. Nothing seemed broken but Kagami knew that the next time he moved, he wouldn't come away unscathed.

He wanted to pass out. He didn't want to be awake to watch this happening to him.

He closed his eyes and as he did he heard the rip of fabric and felt the cool surrounding air on his previously covered skin.

Aomine made a guttural growl and Kagami felt the goosebumps rise on his skin. Then he felt hands pushing his legs apart.

He couldn't.

He couldn't do this.

He couldn't pretend this wasn't happening.

"Get OFF me!" he hissed, trying to kick Aomine away as his left hand clawed at whatever he could reach. It was a wild, frenzied attack, desperate and uncoordinated.

Kagami wanted out.

He wasn't going to get it.

The first dull crunch was his humerus. The second was his radius.

He didn't even register it. He still tried fighting with his broken arms, refusing to come to terms with the situation. His chest felt tight, his skin was burning up, his consciousness was blurring, his mind was a buzzing, throbbing mess.

Aomine's voice cut through all of that.

As soon as he spoke, Kagami's eyes opened. And the look he saw in the almost-black eyes above him…

Something in him had just snapped.

"Don't give up on me…okay?"

And then there was pain.

* * *

Marisa woke up while it was still dark. She wanted to check on Kagami to see if he was done with his first wave yet. It had been nearly twelve hours since he was set to begin. She was hoping that this time round, she'd see a reduction in the length of his heat waves. Having them for as long as he did still took a major toll on him and made them harder to manage. She was still half asleep as she wandered downstairs to where the heat rooms were, and in the weak light of the corridor, she would have missed the pile of items on the floor had she not literally walked right into them.

"Oh God!" she gasped as her foot came into contact with something soft but she bent down with a chuckle to pick the things up when she realised they were just clothes. Aomine's clothes. The laughter died in her throat.

"Why are…?" She was mystified at first but it quickly morphed into worry.

If these are here, then…where is Kagami?

She turned and hurried back upstairs, taking them two at a time. There was no need to panic just yet. She would check his room first and-

That smell.

That smell.

"Aomine…sama?" she breathed, not wanting to believe it. When had he come back? Surely not-

"Kagami." She darted up the stairs in a blur, fighting the rising feeling of dread and fear. This was the worst thing that could happen to the redhead right now. She prayed that somehow he'd gotten away. Logic was telling her that the heat room was the only safe place to be and if he wasn't there-

"No."

She smelt Aomine.

She smelt Kagami.

She smelt blood.

"Please God. No."

Tanaka came back from the dairy farm with fresh milk for Marisa to make Kagami porridge with to hear sobs coming from the woman herself.

He set the bottle down hard on the kitchen counter before following the sound and as he did so, encountered the same smells she had and came to the same conclusion.

"Marisa!" he said sharply. "Come away from there-"

"No…" she cried softly, staring helplessly at the door. "I can't leave him-"

"You are putting yourself at risk unnecessarily. I will not allow you to sit here and wait to be attacked. Come with me."

"Tanaka-" He took her arm, pulling her away from the door as she fought against him, crying louder. Tanaka took both her arms, holding her firmly.

"Marisa! I understand you are distressed but you cannot be here. You are putting yourself and Kagami in danger. Come downstairs and we can talk about the next stage of action. But you have to get away from here." Marisa didn't respond. She was still crying too hard. Tanaka moved one of his arms around her shoulder and guided her down the stairs, trying to act like the quiet moans of pain coming from Kagami's bedroom weren't breaking him as much as they were Marisa.

…

The pain Kagami was in now was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. And it was more than just physical.

He exhaled harshly in agony as Aomine pushed into him again, weakly gripping at the sheets. His head remained turned to the side as it had been for hours. There was a dull ache from the position and any slight movements sent jolts of pain along the tight tendons in his neck.

But that was the least of his worries.

He could feel the edges of his vision starting to fade and he was more than willing for the darkness of unconsciousness to engulf him. It was almost bliss.

Aomine was starting to pound into him faster, leaning down to bite into the mark-riddled, soaked skin beneath him. Kagami whimpered in pain but otherwise didn't respond. He was too tired to fight anything. He just wanted it all to be over.

He felt something tear inside him and at that point, he was almost grateful. The blood would act as a lubricant and maybe it wouldn't hurt so much.

The monster above him let out a grunt of satisfaction and Kagami felt himself being filled to brim, so much that it was leaking out of him. It burned.

He didn't know how long he had been on him. He was starting not care and that scared him. He couldn't let himself succumb to this life. He couldn't let his fighting spirit go out.

"AAAHHHH!"

He screamed in pain as Aomine grabbed his chin and wrenched his head to face him. The eyes were just as wild as they had been when he'd started raping him and Kagami was near the point where he would do almost anything to see normal sapphire again.

"What…" His voice was a rough whisper, his eyes awash with bitter hatred.

Something like a smile stretched over his bloodied lips and he pulled his head up higher, crashing their lips together and ploughing his tongue into his mouth, so far that Kagami gagged and his eyes watered. But he got it now.

He wouldn't let him leave until he had claimed every inch of him. Whether he was willing or not.

* * *

"KAGAMIN?"

"Momoi-sama?" He had sent Marisa back to sleep after giving her painkillers for her throbbing headache.

"Tanaka? Why do you have Kagamin's phone? Is he okay?!" The question hit too close to home and he hesitated. "Tanaka, you're scaring me. What's wrong with Kagamin?"

"Aomine-sama has returned and-"

"Oh God. Oh God. Hold on. I'll be there as soon as I can."

...

Tanaka had been standing at the door for the past hour, just waiting for the sound of tyres on gravel. When he finally did, he opened it hastily, just in time to see the doors open and watch as Momoi leapt out of the driver's seat. The rear doors opened and both Akashi and Kuroko stepped out too.

"Tanaka!"

Momoi ran towards him and threw her arms around the old butler. He could feel her shaking.

"Is he…?"

"I am so sorry, Momoi-sama." She shook her head mournfully, but gave him a hopeful smile.

"Don't. No one knew he was coming back. No one could have predicted this. But we'll get him out of there."

Tanaka simply nodded and Momoi gradually loosened her hold so he could lead them inside. He could tell immediately that they could all smell what was happening. Akashi's face betrayed nothing, but Tanaka's sharp eyes picked up the flash of pain in Kuroko's eyes and how Momoi's face blanched.

"How long have they been inside, Tanaka-san?" Kuroko's words were measured.

"I am not too sure. It was Marisa who discovered them as I was on the grounds, and from what I understand, it was close to four in the morning. But there is a good chance he returned earlier."

"He did. Easily before midnight. It wouldn't have taken him long to get home from where we parted ways." There was an unspoken part to Akashi's sentence that Tanaka picked up on. The redhead and bluenette shared a weighted look but neither said anything more. Tanaka couldn't help but wonder what that exchange meant but it quickly slipped to the back of his mind, as his concern for Kagami's welfare returned to the forefront.

"Is there anything we can do?" Akashi weighed his words carefully.

"I shall go and try to get a feel of the situation. If there is a chance, then we can attempt to remove Kagami but…"

But it's unlikely.

"Tetsuya, Satsuki, would you go and check on Marisa-san please?" Momoi nodded as did Kuroko. It escaped Tanaka's notice but he and Akashi shared that 'look' again before they both disappeared. Akashi turned to Tanaka.

"You wouldn't mind-"

"Watching them? Not at all, Akashi-sama. Thank you for coming to our aid." Akashi smiled serenely, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I promise to do what I can, for the both of them. Let's hope for good news, shall we?"

…

"Mari-chan?" They had waited for the old beta to wake up instead of rousing her themselves, and her tired eyes quickly fastened onto her guests, filling with relief and distress.

"Momoi-sama…?" Her eyes welled up with tears. "Kagami…" she said softly, and a sob escaped her throat. Momoi sat beside her on the bed, wrapping her arms around her as her own tears started to fall.

"Don't cry, Mari-chan. We'll…we'll get him out. So don't cry." Kuroko sat in the chair by the door, not interrupting them and leaving them to seek comfort in each other. He didn't look away as Tanaka entered the room, but his attention shifted completely to the butler.

"Has Akashi-kun managed to…?" Tanaka sighed and it was all the answer he needed.

"Not yet. He attempted to go inside but was met with a lot of aggression from Aomine-sama. He is waiting for a lull in his rut before he tries again."

"And when does he think that will happen?" It was now well past midday.

"It could be any time from now until tomorrow. We plan to monitor the situation closely." Kuroko nodded.

"Please, do as you see fit."

"I shall." He said nothing more, leaving the room again and disappearing. Kuroko took a final look at the two wolves on the bed before getting up and exiting himself. He looked down the empty corridor before walking further down, coming to a room near the end and opening the door slowly.

"How are you?"

* * *

The lull came around two in the morning. Tanaka hadn't heard any sounds from Kagami's bedroom in the past ten minutes and rushed to the guestroom where Akashi was staying to wake him up. He knocked on the door before entering, but took a step back when it opened and the wolf himself stepped out, looking as immaculate as always.

"Is it time, Tanaka-san?"

"I believe so, Akashi-sama." The redhead nodded and went to the room, placing a hand on the door and closing his eyes momentarily.

"I believe it is. Please wake Satsuki and ask her to wait in the wings. Wait for my signal, as planned." The butler nodded and disappeared as Akashi looked almost blankly at the closed door in front of him. Inside, his mind was whirring.

Ultimately, he wasn't at all surprised by the turn of events, given the circumstances but Kagami's timing was far too unfortunate. What he didn't know, was how they would react to the harsh reality of the situation once they were both in the right frame of mind. Because they certainly weren't now. Especially Aomine, judging from the half-feral beast he recalled seeing inside. They had no time to waste, if they wanted Kagami to come out alive.

"Akashi-sama."

The words were easily-missed, coming from so far away, but Akashi's sensitive ears caught them and he nodded, his eyes hardening.

"Ready or not, baby brother."

The door slammed open so hard, it was partly torn off its hinges. Aomine raised his head from the position on the bed. Kagami didn't move at all. Akashi hoped it was because he was asleep.

"Daiki-"

"Get back." The voice didn't sound anything like the Aomine he knew, and Akashi now saw that the intervention was as much for his brother as it was the battered omega in his grasp.

He smiled.

"No."

Aomine lunged forward, going straight for Akashi's neck and the other wolf directed all his attention the upcoming attack, trusting the other parties to do the rest.

As he artfully dodged the bluenette's attack and went for his own neck, he continually noted the changes in the air velocity room, and the different smells. None of that weakened his focus. He couldn't afford to. None of them were a physical match for Aomine in this state. On wrong move and he was as good as dead.

Luckily for him, this was never a physical match to begin with.

Akashi thrived on an entirely different playing field.

"Akashi-sama!"

The voice made Aomine turn around, and his eyes filled with rage as he registered the empty bed. As his hands reached Tanaka, Akashi's closed around his neck and with clinical accuracy, he knocked his brother out, catching him before he slumped forward onto Tanaka.

"Tanaka-san, please take a seat." He quickly surveyed the room and the wreckage that was the bed before changing his mind. "In fact, I shall have Tetsuya treat you in my room, if that is fine by you."

"Of course Akashi-sama but I assure you, it is a shallow cut. Aomine-sama intended no real harm."

Aomine had intended nothing but harm and the cut was far from shallow. Still, there was something to be said about his loyalty to Aomine. Akashi smiled, genuinely.

"I shall take your word for it. But as a precaution, I would rather Tetsuya looked at it first." The older wolf nodded and followed him out of the room.

"May I assist you, Akashi-sama?"

"There is no need, but thank you for offering. If anything, he's much lighter than I remember."

This wasn't a lie. Aomine had lost a lot of weight but that wasn't surprising. He didn't want to think about the state Kagami was in.

I do hope Tetsuya is able to separate his emotions from his actions. It will hinder Kagami's treatment otherwise.

…

Marisa door slammed open as Momoi darted in, with Kagami in her strong, slender arms.

"Oh dear Lord." Kuroko thought she looked faint and reached out to catch her but though she had paled significantly, she gently pushed him away.

"It's fine. I'm fine. I'm not the problem here." Her hands trembled as she reached out to the lax, naked omega on the bed, willing herself not to cry again. There was no sign of him being in heat and that worried her more than it relieved her.

"My a-angel…-!" His eyes gradually opened to find her astonished face looking down at him.

And he slowly started to smile.

"Mari…chan…"

She let go of him as Kuroko stepped forward to begin treating him instead and covered her face with her hands, weeping uncontrollably with too many emotions to name.

"Where the fuck am I?" Akashi snorted with quiet laughter, the sound echoing slightly in the darkened room.

"I did tell you your house was too extravagant but then again, you rarely ever listen to me, do you?"

"Where is he?" he asked, ignoring the jab entirely. Akashi steepled his fingers and leaned back in the chair by the bed, looking at his brother intently.

"What if I told you he had died after your brutal attack?" The answering face spoke volumes. "I suspected as much. I will say it is nothing short of a miracle that he is still alive, after all you did to him."

"It wasn't like that…" But his words weren't necessarily directed at the redhead sitting beside him.

"I'm sure." Whether his words were spoken sardonically or sincerely was debatable.

His next words, however, were not.

"Though I believe we may need to reconsider your…position in Kagami's life. Just in case."


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER: 22

"How are you feeling today, Kagami-kun?"

The redhead stretched his plaster-covered arms experimentally.

"Pretty good, actually!" he surmised. "Which isn't bad at all, considering..." Kuroko nodded encouragingly.

"That's the spirit, Kagami-kun."

Aomine had inflicted a lifetime of damage on Kagami. So much so that none of them had fully believed he'd pull through, at least not without some form of long-term damage.

And yet here he was three weeks later, on the road to recovery without so much as a scar.

"Your healing capacity seems infinite Kagami-kun." He reddened slightly and looked away.

"I wouldn't say that...I just got lucky, I guess..."

Kuroko smiled.

"Well, I shall pray to the gods of luck for their continued protection."

They both turned towards the door as they heard it open. Kagami's eyebrows rose as Akashi walked into the room with an almost regal smile. Kuroko was unsurprised as he knew what the redhead had come to say and watched as he approached the invalid's bed.

...

During Kagami's recovery, he had been visited frequently by many members of their pack. Besides Marisa and Tanaka, who obviously came to see him every day, Kuroko, Momoi and Kise visited the most. The former two had been staying at Aomine's abode since the incident occurred and the blonde wolf came when he could. Akashi had been coming a lot as well, sometimes when he knew other people were in the room and sometimes alone. Those moments alone were…uncomfortable to say the least. Not that he was particularly imposing in any way or inappropriate but…Kagami simply couldn't shake the feeling that he knew a lot more about him than he was letting on. Sometimes when he looked at him…it was as though he was seeing all the way inside him, that probing, intrusive gaze cutting through all his covers and lies and barriers and getting straight to the heart of the matter…

The truth.

Anyway…

The more surprising visitors had been Midorima and Murasakibara. The green-haired wolf had only come a few times to play the doctor role and check on his progress. He was emotionless almost all of the time but Kagami had seen the look of something like surprise at how well and how fast he was healing. There had been a few select incidences where his clinical gaze had held something more but he hadn't commented on it and it happened so quickly, that had it not been a repeat occurrence, he would have put it down to imagination.

The purple giant had only come once, nearer the beginning of his admission into the Generations' makeshift private hospital. He had come slouching in after Akashi, bearing a gigantic basket of fruit.

He didn't say anything, setting his offering down beside Kagami's bed as the omega eyed him uncertainly. Akashi sat down next to Kagami's bed and as if silently giving the order, he slowly lowered himself into the other free seat, just watching him.

"Uh…thanks…?"

"Mmmm…"

Awkward didn't quite cover it. Akashi smoothly led the conversation as though he couldn't tell how off the vibe was. Knowing him, he probably couldn't. Or rather he could but it didn't bother him in the slightest.

Eventually, they both got up to leave. Kagami was relieved. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate them taking the time out to come and see him but the conversation had been stilted to say the least. Still, the fruit looked nothing short of amazing and he found himself almost unconsciously stretching his head out to grab the glistening apple closest to him as they walked out of the door.

"The plums are good." Kagami froze, eyes darting to the now-closed door. How had he…?

His hand diverted course to the rich, violet plums and he took one, sinking his teeth into the firm, juicy flesh.

Well, he wasn't lying…they are good…

…

"How are you feeling, Kagami?"

Like it's deja-vu?

"I'm feeling alright. A little stiff but overall, pretty good." Akashi smiled.

"That is excellent news."

"So, what's your visit in aid of?"

"Besides wanting to see how you were faring? Does there need to be another reason?"

"No…" But there was. Kagami could tell. In a way, he'd become pretty good at reading Akashi. Good, but at the same time, it was like a drop in the ocean. Akashi was an extremely complex individual. He doubted that anyone truly understood the magenta-eyed wolf. Not completely.

But there were some who were close…

...

Aomine.

Aomine was the only one who hadn't come to see him.

Kagami didn't know if that was because he wasn't allowed to or he just actively wasn't coming. And whether the latter was because he felt too ashamed about what he'd done or if he just didn't care. It was all speculation.

Kagami wondered why he was giving so much time to thinking about it.

To be fair, he had a lot of time going spare. In between the visits, at night when Marisa was snoozing quietly in the chair beside his bed as she kept watch over him, or when the rest of the Generations were out doing whatever it was they actuallydid…he had time. A lot of it. He couldn't help but think about…about a lot of things.

It had been surprisingly easy to come to terms with what had happened. Or rather, to understand it.

He had been in heat.

Aomine was a psychopath.

And this had been a very real threat for a very long time. Aomine had alluded to it more than once. In a way, he had been subconsciously preparing for it. Which was a worrying thought but then again, a lot of things about being an omega in an alpha-dominated household were pretty worrying.

So he at least understood that it had happened. The state of shock he'd been in whilst it was happening and soon after he had been rescued was gone and he could almost accept it now. But he wasn't anywhere close to getting over it.

Though not for the reasons he would've thought he would have, had this scenario been presented to him a few months ago. When he'd had no idea about this kind of life. When he'd been living in a completely different world…

He couldn't deny that there was a sick sense of relief that the worst was over and he'd made it through. At least if it happened again, he would be more prepared…Thoughts like this scared him. Made him wonder just how badly Aomine had damaged him, beneath the surface.

But…that wasn't Aomine…

It was…but it wasn't. He was able to look over the events of a few weeks before with detachment…objectively, impersonally. He'd compartmentalised the feelings he associated with it and had stored them away in a section of his brain to deal with later. Well, not all of them…he'd kept a few.

Anger being the main one.

He was angry at himself for letting it happen. He should have moved quicker, run faster, acted smarter…and then maybe…

But then that line of thinking was detrimental. Because not only did it bring about hate, it brought about that skin-crawling sense of relief from before and the less he thought about that and all the insinuations associated with that, the better.

Oh, that was another one.

Hate.

He wasn't sure he had ever hated someone as intensely as he hated Aomine. Hated him for making him feel like he did now, even after he had tried to separate himself as much as possible from what had happened then. He still felt the humiliation and crippling weakness, the disgust and revolt…

But who did he really hate?

Because try as he might to deflect all of this onto Aomine…that…that creature above him wasn't what he knew to be Aomine. As sick and twisted as the bluenette was, that wolf in that room that day had been an entirely different beast. He didn't even know that wolves could get like that.

He wanted to find out more…to further understand what had turned Aomine into that thing…so he could stop it from happening again. Not only as self-preservation, but to stop it from happening to anyone else in the future. Because nothing about that had been normal.

But he couldn't ask anyone. It was a very delicate subject that no one who could tell him about it was willing to discuss. He couldn't ask Kuroko because he felt like there had been a shift in his and Aomine's relationship following the incident. Momoi kept dancing around the issue. Marisa would be too upset. Tanaka was in some form of denial. And Akashi…well, he didn't want Akashi picking his brains any more than he already was.

All he could do was mull his thoughts over by himself and try to come to his own conclusions. And hope that someone would be willing to open up about it sometime soon, to give him perspective and save him…from himself…

...

"Though, seeing as I am already here…" Kagami snorted with laughter.

"So there was a catch."

"Really Kagami. I'm offended. Do I come across as character with ulterior motives?" His eyes danced with something…challenging. Kagami wasn't biting.

"I mean…you probably know the answer to that better than I do…" A smile curled the corners of his perfect lips.

"Interesting response. But regarding our earlier line of conversation…it is less of a catch and more of a…proposition…" He moved to sit down in his spot of choice beside the redhead's bed. He sat there whenever he came to visit. The chair was by his head, making it easy for him to watch Kagami's face but difficult for the favour to be returned unless he turned his head -which led to a crick in his neck- or turned on his side to face him -which meant prolonged eye-contact and that was a verybig no.

"Well, I'm all ears."

"Splendid. I'm glad I have you full attention as it is an important topic. It concerns your position in our pack."

Kagami's heart jumped slightly but he tried not to let it show. Hearing those words from Akashi…they could mean anything. But he knew the redhead held the power. To his ultimate demise…or to his freedom. He didn't want to hope, but he couldn't help it.

Akashi could sense this.

"Unfortunately, what you hope to hear isn't what I plan on discussing so I am afraid you will have to lower your expectations." Kuroko saw the flash of resigned disappointment on his face but didn't comment on it.

"I'm listening."

"What I do propose, however, is that we reconsider your standing in our pack."

"O…kay…" Seeing the lack of comprehension on the other redhead's face, he smiled then elaborated.

"What I mean by this is potentially revoking Daiki's exclusive…'ownership'…" Realisation dawned and he smiled tightly.

"Gotcha. So I'll be a pack bitch instead, right?"

"Kagami?!" Marisa stared at him from the door in horror, having just walked in with his lunch. He snorted bitterly.

"I'm not lying, am I?" Nobody said anything and he began to feel reckless anger swelling in his chest. "Now that that animal has broken me in, you all get a go, am I right? Right?"

"Kagami-kun, it isn't like that-"

"Don't fuck with me Kuroko. You owe me that much." The bluenette didn't respond. "If it wasn't like that, you wouldn't need to screw me at all. You could just leave me alone even if you won't let me go completely. But you're choosing not to because I'm still a piece of ass to you, at the end of the day."

"Kagami, I understand your frustration-" Kagami turned to him, his frustration giving him brash confidence.

"You of all people couldn't ever understand me. You're at the top of this damn hierarchy! I'm an omega. I'll always be at the fucking bottom."

There was silence following his outburst and as the seconds ticked by, his blind rage faded and the gravity of his words began to sink in. Marisa wouldn't look at him and Kuroko's eyes looked pained. Though there was a lot of truth to what he had said, he realised that that hadn't been the right time or place to say it.

"…I…I-"

"No, there is no need to apologise Kagami. Your stance is more than justified. And whilst I doubt we will be able to eradicate all the injustices your gender faces, we're going to at least attempt to make some changes where we can. Which is why I wanted to give you the opportunity to decide what you would like regarding your future with us. That is, if you are willing, we invite you to join us for our meeting later today."

So, letting me pick a card from your deck, huh?

It was a small, bittersweet victory.

"I see you need some time to consider this. I will be back late-"

"I'll come. When is it?"

But a victory all the same.

* * *

"Is he coming?" Kise asked anxiously as they sat in Aomine's gigantic living room. They had all turned towards the door when it opened but it had only been Marisa, bearing tea and baked goodies. The entire pack was assembled bar Momoi who had disappeared moments before without a word.

"He said he would but…there's a lot for him to come to terms with and it may be too soon." Kuroko didn't believe Kagami would actively back down and go back on his word but he wasn't sure if the redhead was mentally prepared to face Aomine just yet.

He himself wasn't too sure about how to process the situation. When he had gotten the call from Momoi telling him she was on the way and Kagami needed their help…seeing the barely-breathing bloody omega lying on the bed…

He didn't know how to look at Aomine anymore. He was still his pack mate, still his friend but…Kagami…

He's special.

He didn't want to think about his own feelings because they weren't important right now. What was important was Kagami's health, helping him heal and regain his strength.

He didn't know if the redhead being here would aid any of that.

He wanted Kagami to be safe. But he increasingly felt that Aomine couldn't be trusted with something as precious as Kagami's safety. He didn't know if Aomine could be trust with Kagami period.

"I think you're right..." Kise nodded before sighing. "Can Momoicchi get back so we can get this over with?"

"Alright Ki-chan, I'm back! I had to get someone…" She re-entered the room slowly, as she supported the redhead leaning against her.

Kuroko immediately stood up to go to Kagami's other side, but he waved him away.

"Don't worry about it. I can basically walk now anyway. It's just that I haven't done it in a while."

Momoi guided him towards the plushest chair in the room, easing him into it gently before perching on one arm protectively like a small, pink-haired bodyguard.

From his vantage point, Kagami had a clear view of all of them. He didn't have to turn his head much to look any of them in the eye if he wanted to. Though this didn't matter much. Because his eyes were only focused on one person.

If someone had said Aomine was actively avoiding his gaze, Kagami wouldn't have denied it. Taking in the surly, brooding, defensive figure across from him, everything from his slightly hunched posture to the stubborn jut of his jaw screamed denial.

He wasn't willing to look directly at what he'd done and take ownership for it.

Kagami would be damned if he was letting him get away with it.

"Happy to see me, Aomine?"

The tension in the room sky-rocketed as Momoi put a warning hand on his bicep. He didn't really register it. The alpha said nothing in response but Kagami could almost see the air around him visibly darken.

You're playing a dangerous game…

"What's the matter? You were all over me a few weeks ago. What changed?" His voice was slightly louder, baiting…aggressive.

"Kagami-kun…" Kuroko said quietly. Kagami bullishly ignored him, voice growing even louder.

"Funny how you were such a big man before and now what? Can't even say hi?!" He could feel his anger burning uncontrollably. Flames of bitter hatred, swirling around him, suffocating him. It was trapping him.

This isn't me.

He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply before exhaling in a whoosh. He probably wasn't ready for this. But he was here now. He wouldn't run away from this, whatever the outcome.

Aomine hadn't looked at him once.

It pissed him off.

Spineless coward…

"Kagami, thank you for joining us."

"I said I would, didn't I?" Akashi looked at him a moment as though contemplating his words before smiling.

"Indeed you did. Apologies for doubting your resolve." Kagami didn't think the statement required a response so he didn't give it one.

"Now that we are all assembled, I believe it would be beneficial to all of us if I went straight to the crux of the matter. Kagami's wellbeing." There were a few slight nods. "I'm sure I don't have to go into the details of what happened…"

Kagami didn't know what was wrong with him. Not that he typically had much control over his mouth anyway but today, he had thrown all caution to the wind. Perhaps it was because of the pent-up frustration and anger at all that had happened. Or maybe it was just the feeling that if he didn't try now, he might never get the full story.

"Actually, can we?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Kagamin, we can talk about this later-"

"Can we though? Because you've been avoiding it." She flinched slightly and he felt bad for the accusation but pressed on. "Pretty much everyone has-"

"And rightfully so-"

"Rightfully for who? Me? Or for your own benefit?" If Akashi had a response to that, he didn't voice it. "I want to know."

"What, Kagamicchi?" Kise volunteered cautiously.

"I want to know why you did what you did." His eyes were back on Aomine, blazing. Impossible to ignore.

Aomine was giving it a shot, though.

"What, so you're not even going to defend yourself? You totally accept you acted like the animal you really are and-"

"Kagami, I understand you're upset-"

"You don't understand shit," he hissed, running an agitated hand through his hair and sighing. "And neither do I. I want to understand. I don't get it…"

"When you say you don't get it…" Momoi started, looking highly uncomfortable. It was clear she didn't want to relive any of what she'd seen and Kagami felt the same regretful pang from before for ever mentioning it. "What exactly don't you get, Kagamin?"

"When he was…" She winced. "It was like it wasn't even him…-"

"A rut." Kagami's eyes darted and settled on Murasakibara, as he was sure that was where the voice had come from.

"A…rut…?"

There was a beat of silence.

And then the penny dropped.

"The way you are speaking," Midorima began, adjusting his glasses, "suggests you are unfamiliar with an alpha rut." Kagami's eyes narrowed. "Is this correct?"

"I'm guessing that's what caused Mr. Loose-Cannon over there to blow his top?" Kise made a noise of surprise.

"Kagamicchi, how have you never heard of a rut?"

"He is a rogue, Kise-kun. And don't be rude."

"I'm not," he insisted. "I'm just surprised is all!"

"Kagamin, a rut is basically like an alpha heat but it doesn't happen nearly as often and it's a lot more…"

"Violent," Midorima supplied. "Typically exhibited by alphas with a lack of restraint and self-control-"

"Fuck you," Aomine muttered. The words drew Kagami's attention immediately.

"So he speaks! Took you long enough, bastard!" he spat. Aomine clenched his jaw and said nothing.

Kagami wondered if his legs had enough in them to carry him over to where Aomine was sitting so he could sock him in the jaw but before he could act on his intentions, Akashi spoke again.

"Obviously, the rut is what caused Daiki to act as he did. As for the triggers of his rut, that would be for him to disclose to you-"

"Fat chance of that happening-"

"However," Akashi continued as though Kagami had never interrupted, "that doesn't negate the fact that what he did to you was highly unacceptable. We see you as an esteemed guest, almost an honorary member of our pack, and I for one won't accept how he treated you."

What you mean is, you see me as a captive and a pedigree bitch.

"At this moment in time, Kagami-kun, it's still unsafe for us to let you go."

What you mean is, we haven't had our turn yet.

"We'll make sure nothing like this ever happens again, Kagamicchi."

What you mean is, next time it won't be so rough.

Maybe the whole situation really had scarred him for life. He didn't know. There was a lot he didn't know at that moment in time. What he did know was that at this moment in time, he was weak.

Though he was healing up well on the outside, on the inside he was still very much broken. He needed fixing.

He also knew that the thought of being passed around like a sex toy was suffocating. Just hearing Akashi talk about his proposed 'schedule' made him want to hang himself. The walls were closing in and he felt like he'd never get out.

He was going to be trapped in an endless cycle. He was going to lose himself.

He jolted as he felt skin against his and turned sharply to see Momoi gently prising his nails out of the arm of the chair. She leaned down to his ear, whispering lowly so that her soft breath ghosted the sensitive skin in the inner shell of his ear.

"We can go if you want."

It was what he wanted.

He couldn't make this decision now. It was too much, too soon. He needed time to collect himself…to put himself back together. He'd tell Akashi he needed time. He'd pushed the redhead pretty far today but he was convinced he could get away with a little bit more.

That was what he needed. Time and space.

Something told him to look up.

This voice in the back of his head seemed to be urging him to just look up.

He slowly raised his head and found stormy blue.

Unreadable.

Something about the look made Kagami burn.

So there was one other thing he knew.

He wanted Aomine to suffer.

"Aren't you forgetting an option, Akashi?" Kagami asked lightly. The pale redhead raised an eyebrow.

"I am?"

"Sure. I didn't hear you give me the option to leave things as they are."

"Kagami-kun-"

"No, Kuroko, I'm not crazy. I know what I want."

The corner of his lip rose as he eyes locked on the sapphire in front of him. He had seen the lightning bolt of shock just moments before and it made him feel vindicated.

"I want to stay right where I am."


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER: 23

Forgive and forget.

Refuse and regret.

When had it ever been that clean-cut?

It had been two days since their pack meeting. Two days since Kagami had made his decision to remain in Aomine's household. Two days of harboured bitterness. Of him trying to make Aomine's life a living hell.

Emphasis on trying.

Tensions were running so high between the two of them and it was having a knock-on effect on everyone in the house. Kagami was confrontational and borderline aggressive whereas Aomine was downright evasive.

...

When the rest of the Generations had left the house forty-eight hours before, there had been a degree of worry about how Kagami would fare by himself after what had happened. Before Kuroko had left, he had approached Kagami by himself, to confirm that it was what the redhead truly wanted.

"Kagami-kun." The redhead looked away from the open window to the pale alpha walking through the door with a half-smile. It lacked the vibrancy that Kuroko was used to seeing on his handsome face, and it made Kuroko's heart hurt.

"Kuroko. Hey…" Kuroko decided to get straight to the point and Kagami could see the resolution in his eyes.

"I know what you're going to say…"

"I'm glad." He smiled lightly but it was just a bit too strained. "So you won't mind me repeating myself then." The redhead sighed, turning back to the window. "Kagami-kun," he started carefully, "I…I understand where you are coming from and I won't pretend that I can completely comprehend just how much pain you are in right now…" Kagami stayed silent, allowing him to finish. "But I am worried. I am very worried about this arrangement. How it will pan out for both you and Aomine-kun."

"Thanks for your concern." That appeared to be it from him and Kuroko felt frustration creeping up on him. He exhaled with a heavy breath.

"Kagami-kun, please. Try not to be so stubborn." Kagami snorted at this. "Kagami-kun-"

"What, Kuroko? What do you want me to say? To do? I've made my decision-"

"It isn't set in stone." Kagami turned to him then, fixing his red-hot gaze on the cool blue in front of him. But then he saw it and felt a piercing stab of guilt right through his chest. "Just say the word and-"

"Kuroko-"

"Kagami-kun-"

"We never got to talk, did we?" He seemed melancholy. "About…us…"

"We still can." They couldn't. Things had changed. Irreparably. They weren't in the same space that they had been in before Kuroko had left on their mission. Kagami's innocence was gone. It had been taken by force. He wasn't the same. This wasn't the same.

"Can we?"

There was no hope. That door was closed, for now.

"Kagami-kun, it isn't too late. We can still get you out of here."

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Kuroko looked almost confused.

"Not at all, Kagami-kun."

"Really?"

"Where is this coming from?"

"Because I'm pretty sure everyone heard me say clearly that I was staying here. Right?" Kuroko didn't respond. "So why is no one taking me seriously? Because you think I'm crazy, right? That's-"

"That isn't it-"

"It must be-"

"It isn't, Kagami-"

"Then why does everyone keep asking me whether I'm sure? I was crystal fucking clear back there. I'm staying here. I'm even more sure now than I was before. So why can't you respect that?"

"It isn't that I don't respect it-"

"It's that you think I jumped the gun but I'm too stubborn to back down right?" His words struck a bit too close to home and they could both see it. "I'm stubborn and I'm a bit of an idiot, but I'm not completely stupid. I know what I'm doing. Or at least, I know that there's nothing left for him to do to me that he hasn't done already-"

"That's a very destructive attitude to have, Kagami-kun-"

"Makes sense. I've been feeling like I've been hit by a bomb for a while now." Kuroko didn't laugh.

"I worry about you Kagami-kun."

"And like I said before, I appreciate it."

Kuroko couldn't say anything else. He realised that this was a losing battle. There was nothing he could say now that would have any lasting impact on Kagami. He was hard-set. Kuroko just hoped that his iron resolve wouldn't turn around to smite him later in the future.

"I see." The defeat in his voice was unmistakeable. Kuroko didn't care that he could hear it. He had gone back to looking out of the window. "You know where to reach me, if you decide later that you want to reconsider things."

"I do." Kuroko nodded and turned to walk back out. He was half-expecting Kagami to call out to him.

He did.

"Like I said Kuroko, I appreciate it." He heard him sigh quietly. "Take care of yourself, man. I mean it."

Oh Kagami-kun.

He closed the door behind him.

That night…

Aomine didn't understand it. But there was something about Kagami now that really put him on edge.

He'd been almost nervous when the rest of his pack had left him alone earlier that evening. He could tell that they were all worried about Kagami to varying degrees -he wasn't stupid and their pack bond made it obvious- but he was far more concerned for himself and there was nothing selfish about it.

It was the way he looked at him.

With eyes so alive yet dead. Ferocious yet dispassionate. Intrusive yet uncaring.

It hadn't even been two hours yet, but it was already driving Aomine insane.

Marisa had forced him to go and eat something as he couldn't actively remember the last time he'd had a proper meal. He had been sitting in the dining room, scanning through news of a serial killer on the loose when the door opened and he smelt him.

"Well, well, well. Aren't I lucky?" His jaw clenched as the redheaded omega stepped into the room, closing the door with a deliberate softness behind him. Aomine was certain he could smell the threat in his aura. He could easily tell that everything in Aomine's being was telling him to keep his distance.

So why was he coming closer?

Kagami pulled out the chair next to the tense bluenette and drew it even closer to him. His ruby eyes were flinty with challenge, alight with taunting.

"What's on the menu tonight?" His words were gentle but by no means friendly.

Aomine didn't answer.

"Don't you think not talking to me is going to make things pretty awkward? Besides, if I remember correctly, it was you who wanted me to stick around. So why the change of heart?"

Aomine felt something like anger bubbling up inside of him. Kagami was definitely triggering it…

But it wasn't entirely directed at him.

"Why are you here?" His words were quiet but Kagami was so close, he easily heard.

"Because I'm hungry. You've seen how much I eat." Deliberate evasion. The red eyes danced. Baiting him.

"Quit fucking around with me-"

"Why, would you rather fuck around with me?" Aomine's eyes narrowed dangerously and he clenched his fists.

"You don't know what you're asking for, bitch. I'll break your fucking neck-" Kagami slowly began to tilt his head back, exposing the creamy, caramel expanse of his throat and despite his growing rage, Aomine couldn't deny the heat of arousal building inside him. He stopped when his head was all the way back, neck fully elongated and quirked an eyebrow at the stony bluenette beside him.

"I'm waiting."

When Marisa walked in with the first platter, she found only one wolf at the table.

Kagami shrugged unapologetically.

"I guess he wasn't hungry."

Present…

He had forgotten what a good night's sleep felt like. There had been nights when he'd gotten better sleep than others but they were never what one would call 'decent'. And those were the best-case scenarios.

Tonight wasn't a good night.

It seemed like his subconscious was determined to make him face up to the crimes he'd been running away from in the waking world.

Everything was too vivid in his nightmares. It was why he never wanted to sleep. He would close his eyes, and he would lie still. But he wouldn't sleep.

He didn't want to.

* * *

Momoi had discovered this disturbing habit gradually when they were younger. He'd never alluded to it in any way and there had been no reflection of it in how he behaved or acted so she'd never had any reason to suspect that he was suffering.

But it was the little things.

How he would always tell her to 'settle the hell down' or 'knock it off' when she was too noisy or restless at night. Or how he'd grouchily get up to get her water when she was coughing at night, throat itchy from the flu. Or how he'd always respond to her soft whispers of 'Dai-chan' in the dark, twilight hours, with a long-suffering sigh. Or how his pre-pubescent body would reluctantly relax to accommodate hers when she wrapped herself around him, scared by a nightmare.

Being as naturally observant as she was, she had noted it but had never looked at it cumulatively. For what it actually was. The truth.

He was never really sleeping.

…

"Dai-chan…" They were in their forest-cum-back-garden, playing on a tyre swing their dad had set up. Well, she was. Aomine was scaling the gigantic maple tree it was attached to and making very good work of it, now somewhere near the very top. Akashi was in the house with their mother, getting things ready for lunch.

"What is it?"

"Do you…" She was hesitant and could hear him tut from above her.

"Spit it out, Satsuki."

"…Sleep?"

There was near silence before she let out a squeak of pain as he dropped a thick branch on her head, hitting her right on the exposed skin of the parting between her pigtails and causing the area to bloom a healthy pink.

"Of course I do. Dummy-"

"Daiki, what have I told you about bullying your sister?" Their mother's voice was far from shrill or particularly loud but it carried, with the weight of an unimpressed parent catching their child in the act of wrongdoing.

"I wasn't-"

"Don't you lie to me." She sighed and it wasn't long before Akashi was sent out to police him and make sure there were no further acts of petty violence.

Momoi stared up at the sky as Akashi pushed the tyre steadily every now and then to maintain momentum.

Her question hadn't been met with a completely silent reception. She was certain she heard a sound of surprise. Accompanied with the sound of him slipping slightly. She wouldn't be fooled. Her question had clearly caught him by surprise.

…

"Is your head okay, my angel?" The sun had gone down and it was approaching bedtime. She had just been bathed and sat in her mother's lap, with the woman's arms wrapped tightly around her middle as she nuzzled her nose into the soft crown of her daughter's head. She smelled like lavender, baby oil and the natural scent of a child. Momoi was totally lax in her hold, enjoying the affection as always. But her mind wasn't fully there.

"Satsuki?"

"Mama…?"

"What's wrong?"

"It doesn't hurt, Mama." Seira laughed making her glossy burgundy hair bounce.

"That wasn't what I was talking about silly." Momoi pouted a little and her mother squeezed her tighter. "You look like you're deep in thought."

Momoi kept quiet for a while and her mother filled the silence by humming a soft lullaby. She didn't want to say anything that might get Aomine in trouble but at the same time, there was nothing she wanted more than to help him, and their mother would probably be the best person to speak to about this. But it wasn't really her secret to tell. And in any case, she wasn't completely sure that her hunch was correct because Aomine had outright denied it.

But she knew…

At this point her mother had started rocking her slowly, her humming taking on the form of lyrics and Momoi felt herself being carried away by the lull of Seira's sweet singing. She was yawning before she knew it.

"How about you sleep on it and we'll talk first thing tomorrow morning, okay?" Momoi was about to nod tiredly and allow herself to be carried to bed but something about her mother's words stopped her.

Aomine didn't sleep.

He couldn't sleep.

"Mama…Dai-chan…" The woman's brow furrowed slightly at the mention of her youngest's name accompanied by that tone of voice.

"What's wrong, Satsuki? Has he done anything?" She shook her head fervently.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Of course, honey." Still, the plump pink haired girl curled forward, staring at her still-pudgy hands. She seemed so perplexed and though Seira was worried, she couldn't help but find it adorable.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone though. Especially not Papa. Or Dai-chan." Her mother lifted her up and turned her around so they could look eye-to-eye and smiled encouragingly at her.

"My lips are sealed." She drew her fingers across her lips to mime zipping them up and Momoi smiled nervously.

"Okay...promise?" She held out her pinky and Seira took it, locking them together as a sign of their pact.

"Promise." Momoi leaned forward immediately and brought her lips to her mother's ear, whispering softly. As the little girl spoke, the smile faded rapidly from her mother's face, her skin paled slightly and her body tensed in worry. She picked up on the changes and leaned back in her now-distracted hold, looking highly anxious.

"Mama? Are you okay…?" Seira nodded stiffly after a moment, forcing a smile.

"Of course, sweetie. But I need to ask you, are you sure about this?" Momoi shook her head.

"No…it's like I said. I asked him but he said no. But…I still think…Mama, are you mad at me?" Her face was flushed and the woman quickly snapped out of her trance-like state, focusing fully on her daughter.

"Now why would you think that? If anything, I'm really happy you told me. You're such a good girl, you know that?" Momoi nodded uncertainly and her mother kissed her several times on the head and face. "Such a good girl. So good that Mama wants to give you a very important job. Do you think you can handle it?" Momoi brightened and nodded eagerly.

"Uh huh!"

"Good girl. Now what Mama wants you to do is watch your brother very carefully tonight. Don't force yourself to stay up but whenever you're awake, check whether he's sleeping or not, okay?" She nodded again. "Right, and you tell Mama what happened in the morning, okay?"

"Okay Mama!"

"That's my Satsuki. Kiss?" Momoi leaned forward, pecking her on the lips and her mother picked her up, taking her to her and Aomine's room. The bluenette was already in bed when Seira came in with Momoi.

"Are you ready for bed, Daiki?" He grunted in confirmation and she set her daughter down before going over to his bed and kneeling beside it. "How are you feeling?" She stroked his short, soft hair but he squirmed against her touch.

"Uhhh…fine? You're acting weird, Mom."

"Me taking care of you is acting weird? I'm hurt." Aomine sniggered with laughter as his mother smile teasingly. But her eyes scanned his boyish features for any signs of sleep-deprivation. She could see none.

"Sleep well, okay?"

"Yeah, you too."

"I love you. So much." Spots of colour highlighted his slanted cheekbones and he ducked away slightly in embarrassment.

"Yeah, yeah, Mom." She smiled and planted a kiss on his cheek, which he was quick to rub off, fussing unnecessarily. "Gross!"

Momoi giggled from her bed.

"Big baby."

"Like hell I am!" he growled, and she outright laughed.

"Now, now, be nice to her."

"And I'm ending it."

"Bu-" She pressed a finger to lips to hush him before following it with a kiss.

"Stop now." He stopped, covering himself with his duvet as soon as she let him go.

"Sweet dreams you two."

She went out and closed the door behind her…but didn't leave. At least not right away. She walked some distance from the room before sitting down against its wall, closing her eyes and concentrating. Time faded into nothing as she sat there, just focusing on the faint auras of the two wolves inside. Eventually, she felt Momoi drop off as the poor thing had been fighting to stay awake for the sake of her brother. Her aura dipped to sleeping levels, so low it was nearly undetectable.

Aomine was close. Very close.

But he was most definitely awake.

As time passed, her worry heightened. Time blurred and before she knew it, she heard the front door open almost noiselessly. She couldn't bring herself to smile, to move.

She continued to sit there as she felt the aura she loved coming up the stairs. She heard his noise of displeasure upon seeing her there and it was less than a second before she was in his arms, on their way to their bedroom.

"May I enquire as to what you were doing outside the children's room so late?" he asked as he set her down on the bed and began undressing. She closed her eyes at his question, hands clasped together.

I'm sorry, Satsuki.

"It's Daiki."

...

The doctor diagnosed him with chronic insomnia.

Aomine refused to tell him how long it had been going on for but the paediatrician speculated it had been a few years at the very least. There was no way of accurately determining it, without word from the patient himself, as there were no physical signs of the effects of it.

And that was what shocked him the most.

Just how tight of a hold did Aomine have on himself to prevent the effects of insomnia from seeping into his day-to-day life? Because had it not been for Momoi, they likely would have never found out.

The fact that a child exhibited that much control over themselves was mind-blowing. Seira didn't find it mind-blowing at all.

It broke her heart.

"I would like to perform a few diagnostic-"

"No, I believe you have done enough. Thank you for your time, Doctor." He stared after her as she took her son by the hand and swept out of his office, not looking back.

...

They sat in the back of their car as their chauffeur ferried them home, not saying anything. Seira had bundled him next to her, face pressed into her chest.

"Sorry," he mumbled gruffly and her heart cracked a bit more.

"Don't apologise to me." She squeezed him tighter.

I'm the one who should apologise. I'm sorry I let you down, baby. I'm so, so sorry…

* * *

Aomine didn't want to be in his bedroom. It was clear that there was nothing he was doing in there. Most sleep was evasive and the sleep that did come easily wasn't anything he wanted to be partaking in.

There was too much red…

He got up, swivelling off the bed to plant both feet on the carpeted ground. He could feel the beginnings of a headache forming and growled in irritation. He unconsciously went straight to his dresser, opening it and rootling around inside. His hand didn't come into contact with what he was looking for and he sighed in frustration.

Clearly Marisa had been "spring-cleaning" again.

"Fuck it…"

He left his bed, heading straight for the door. There were a few places that would always have alcohol, despite Marisa's best efforts to get at it.

As he left, he immediately noticed that Kagami's door was slightly ajar. But at this time in the morning, there was no need for it to be.

Against his better judgement, he padded soundlessly over and pushed it open, confirming what he'd expected.

He wasn't there.

"That idiot…"

Clearly he had plans on returning. The whole reason he had left it open was for easier access when he returned.

But returned from what?

…

Kagami crept back up the stairs silently, almost to scared to breathe in case he was heard. The warm feeling of success was brewing merrily inside him but he stifled it, knowing better than to celebrate prematurely. He would relax once he was safely inside his room.

He was right to wait.

"And just where the fuck were you?"

Kagami's heart stopped. He completely froze and before he knew it, he was starting to fall but was too shocked to catch himself in time. However, instead of the back of his head hitting the edge of one of the topmost steps, it smacked against plaster of the wall as Aomine was suddenly very much in his space.

How did I not sense him?

"Looking for a repeat performance?" Kagami hissed and he saw the anger flare in Aomine's slightly bloodshot eyes.

"Last I remembered, I was asking you the questions, dumb bitch."

"Someone's angry. Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, asshole?"

"You think you're smart, don't you?"

"Smarter than you, which isn't saying much." Aomine closed his eyes momentarily and Kagami sucked in a quiet breath. Then, they opened and suddenly his hand was around Kagami's neck, fingers on his thrumming pulse. His nails slowly extended and he was sure Kagami could feel them.

"I can feel it." Kagami said nothing. "How terrified you are-"

"Like fuck I-!" Aomine licked a line against his throat as his pulse fluttered in panic against the alpha's fingertips.

"I can taste it too." The redhead's broad chest rose and fell rapidly as Aomine's grip tightened somewhat. Not enough to choke him, but more to reinforce the fact that his hand was very much there.

"Clearly, what you're doing scares you. You know you're being reckless. Trying to provoke me." He leaned forward, caging Kagami between him and the wall even more. He was overwhelming, and the reality of what Kagami had been doing the past few days hit him harder.

He still wouldn't back down.

"Of course I know what I'm doing." Aomine almost smiled at the rebellious look in his eyes.

"But why are you doing it?" Kagami didn't respond but stubbornly held his gaze. "What are you trying to get out of this-"

"You need to own up to-"

"What, because that will change things? Because messing with my head and pissing me off and trying to get me to fuck up again will make you feel better about yourself, right?"

Kagami hadn't expected this degree of honesty from him at all. He'd openly admitted that what he was doing was having an effect on him and maybe Kagami was crazy but suddenly, his anger was starting to make a lot of sense.

It wasn't really directed at him at all, was it?

Aomine closed his eyes again, inhaling deeply before opening them. They were clearer than before but there were still so many emotions swirling beneath the murky blue surface.

"I asked you a question before. What were you doing down there?"

"Getting a drink-"

"Bullshit. Try again."

"What is it to you, anyw-" Aomine's hand tightened dangerously and his own came up to loosen it without thinking. It was then that he realised he was still holding his phone.

FUCK.

He quickly tried to pocket it again but Aomine was far too fast, snatching the phone from him and slamming him back against the wall as he tried making a break for it. His hand moved from his neck to his wrists, pinning them above his head as his other hand held the phone.

"Making late night phone calls then, I take it?" Kagami turned his head.

But not out of defiance.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you." His voice was sinisterly gentle. It provoked a response in Kagami that disgusted him.

He couldn't disobey.

Slowly, he turned back to Aomine, forcing his eyes to meet his and fighting to keep them as empty as possible.

"What…?" How he wished his voice was steady.

"Who were you calling this late?"

He didn't respond.

Couldn't.

"Tetsu?" Nothing. "Satsuki?" Nothing. "Kise." Nothing. His eyes dropped. "Look at me." Kagami did and regretted it instantly. Aomine's eyes lit up.

"Ahhh, so it's someone else." He flipped the phone so it was facing the right way and Kagami struggled to free himself.

"What I do on there is none of your business!"

"You should've thought about that before using a phone I got you to fuck around." He wasn't even looking at him. Instead his finger was pressed to the reader on the front and Kagami felt his heart jump into his throat as it unlocked.

It unlocked…

"Your pulse is going crazy. Clearly, you have something to hide." Kagami cursed his responsive body, not able to respond. He forced himself to try and relax. He was certain he hadn't left anything on there. He'd deleted his history, his call-log, there wasn't anything-

"Four-eyes. What's up?"

Kagami's thoughts halted immediately as he heard the cool, detached voice that could only be Midorima's telling Aomine to drop dead.

"Why the he-"

"I've got my pretty, little omega here and I have reason to believe he's been scheming behind my back. And you know how I feel about schemers…" He watched how Kagami stared uncertainly at him and his lips curved into a slight smile.

"Get to the point."

"Dig up his history from the past two hours."

Kagami thought he was going to be sick.

"And just what was stopping you from asking me this in the morning?"

"It is the morning…And besides, I'm an impatient guy." He flashed a smile at Kagami. "I couldn't wait for the big reveal."

"Buffoon."

There was a prickly sigh, resigned.

"Call log or internet?"

"Hmmm…both? Seeing as we're here-"

"Aomine, wait."

"Sorry, what was that?" He turned from Kagami to the phone. "Hold up, four-eyes. He's telling you to…'wait'…" Kagami bit the inside of his cheek so hard, it drew blood. "Well?"

"I'll tell you myself."

"Did you hear that?" Aomine crowed into the phone. "Looks like the truth serum finally kicked in! Wonder why that is…" Kagami couldn't look at him.

"Stop wasting my time, idiot. Am I doing this or not?"

Kagami stayed staring at the ground, quietly pleading for him to leave it alone but like the floor had been taken out from under him.

Aomine could find out anything. Everything.

He'd been a fool.

"…Nahhh, wipe it. It looks like he's ready to talk."

"You disgust me."

The call ended and Aomine tossed the phone somewhere into the darkness. It fell with a muted tinkle of broken glass but Aomine couldn't care less.

"This better be good. Considering you wasted old four eyes' time and all…so spill." He drew closer, lips a hairsbreadth away from the redhead's. He could smell the blood in his mouth, undetectable to a human nose but overpowering to one with senses as sharp as his. Kagami saw his pupils dilate.

"Who were you calling?"

…

"Now what did I tell you I hate?" Kagami couldn't speak. He just couldn't. Aomine titled his head up, revealing his neck. His fingers danced over his irregular pulse.

His eyes were like ice.

"Schemers…" The fingers walked eastwards, creeping round to the back of his neck.

"And dis-o-be-di-ent…?"

Kagami opened his mouth but no sound came out.

Black.


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER: 24

When Kagami woke up, he was met with a sight that did all too much to him, all at once.

I can't believe him. I can't believe this.

It seemed that no matter how hard he fought against it, at the end of the day he would always find himself in the same position. Trapped.

A life behind bars.

He was sick of it.

"Aomine, you fucking son-of-a-bitch, let me OUT-!"

"Now that's a new way to say good morning-"

"Fuck your morning, asshole!" he snarled, lunging through the bars in a futile attempt to reach the bluenette standing far out of his reach. He smirked, his eyes dancing with something malevolent yet teasing.

Kagami wanted to tear them out.

"Maybe if you calm down-"

"Calm down?! Are you insane-"

"Then we can have a civilised conversation-"

"You locked me up in a jail cell. What the flying fuck would you know about being civilised?"

Kagami still couldn't believe it. Of all the outcomes he'd expected following him spilling his guts after getting caught, he'd never even begun to think that this would happen.

And who had an entire prison in their basement anyway?

With a house like this, it shouldn't have come as as much of a surprise as it did but then again, never in his wildest dreams -nightmares- would he have fathomed Aomine locking him up like a petty thief.

A common criminal.

"What is wrong with you?"

"A lot."

His answer threw Kagami off momentarily, but for less than a second. Then his fury returned, burning even brighter than before.

"So you know you're a sicko but you still won't let me go? WHY-"

"I can't."

He said it simply because of course, that cleared up all the misunderstandings between them.

"WHY?! Fuck you're acting even crazier than normal! You do see how fucking crazy this is right?! Fuck..."

He just couldn't process this. What the hell was wrong with him? Did he honestly think nobody would find out?

He inhaled deeply and tried to calm his anger as Aomine settled into the chair opposite the cell, resting his elbow on the arm rest to prop his head up on his hand. He seemed extremely laid-back about the whole situation, almost looking pleased with himself. This didn't surprise Kagami too much.

It's always the psychopaths that are the most chill at times like this…

"What did Marisa and Tanaka say about this?" he asked accusingly, hoping to see at least some remorse in the calm, deep blue across from him. There was none.

"Nothing. They don't know yet. But they'll probably be pissed as hell." Kagami gaped for a second before starting off furiously.

"Then why-"

"I haven't told them about what you were planning either. But it will probably break their hearts." Kagami's mouth snapped shut as he felt the cold burn of shame wash over him. Aomine knew he'd hit his mark and smirked slightly.

"That's different…" he murmured, staring at the smooth concrete of the cell floor. "I was doing what I needed to-!"

"What you needed to do?" Aomine's voice was suddenly frosty, his eyes blazing. Kagami couldn't respond. Something told him talking back right now would be a very dangerous move.

"What you needed to do was sit your ass down in one place. What you needed to do was fucking listen for once and not plan your 'great escape'. Like it would ever work. Why the heck are you trying to hard to go back anyway? Makes me think there's a lot more to you being a 'rogue' than you're letting on…"

Kagami hadn't noticed when he had moved, but he was now pressed against the bed with his head bowed. His posture disgusted him, and he quickly rectified it, but still couldn't look Aomine directly in the eye.

"Come here." Kagami didn't move. "I said, come here."

Kagami refused.

Aomine snorted.

"So you mean you've forgotten the last time I told you to come and you didn't?" Goosebumps rose all over the redhead's skin and he suppressed a shudder. "Are you looking for a reminder?"

Against his better judgement, he reluctantly approached the bars where the bluenette now stood. He closed his eyes and braced himself for some kind of assault. Some kind of attack.

Thus, he wasn't expecting what he got. At all.

It was as though Aomine was unable to act upon his initial intentions. The fingers under his chin were firm at first,controlling…but they became hesitant and almost gentle as they angled his face to meet with eyes that were the softest Kagami had ever seen them. He was almost spellbound, not knowing if Aomine intended to be showing as much emotion as he was, but it was throwing him for a loop. Yet again, it was like he was talking to an entirely different person but for the first time…

"You don't get it do you?" His words were a hushed caress. They were spoken reluctantly. Almost disbelieving.

Sad.

Kagami couldn't even breathe. "I can't. I can't let you go."

Not until…

And like that, the moment was gone. He blinked, the look in his eyes returning to the open contempt he was used to and he let him go, staring down at his fingers like they had been burnt before flashing accusingly at the confused face in front of him. Then he turned around, and began to walk away.

"Aomine, where are you going?! AOMINE?!" The bluenette ignored his calls, moving further and further away from the desperate yells of the omega he'd imprisoned. "AOMINE!"

He heard the sound of a door opening and his voice broke slightly.

"AOMINE!" It closed. A lock turned. "Please…"

It was some time the next day when Kagami heard the beginnings of conflict upstairs. At least, he assumed it was the next day. There was no outside light in the small cell, and no concept of time, so he could only assume it was the next day based on how long he felt it had been.

Aomine hadn't come back down since he had left. Kagami didn't know if the silence was welcome or unwanted. At least it gave him time to think. Time was all he had at that point.

He'd been trying to gain some vestiges of sleep when he heard the very distant, shrill sounds of an angry, hysterical Marisa.

He slowed his breathing, keeping as quiet as possible so that he could hear the argument going on upstairs.

"Aomine-sama, you're lying! Where is he?!"

"I told you..." Kagami couldn't hear the rest but he could hear how relaxed the alpha sounded. Totally unbothered by the fact that Marisa was clearly worried out of her mind. It was painfully uncaring.

Forced.

…What…?-

"Aomine-sama, you can't DO this! You need to let him go! This isn't HEALTHY-"

"I don't remember ever asking for your opinion on how I should do things." He sounded mildly irritated now. Kagami was more than familiar with the tone. He always got like this when somebody's consistent pushing began to grind his gears.

"It isn't just your life you're messing with! THINK about that poor omega-"

"If you want to 'help' him, you can do what I asked you to."

"But Ao-"

"Did you hear what I just said?" Just by hearing that, Kagami knew Aomine had already called an end to the conversation. He could see the look on his face. Shutters going down, walls going up. Blocking out anything that was said in the following moments that opposed what he wanted to hear.

"Aomine-sama…" Kagami was straining to hear now, but there was no mistaking the broken hurt in her voice.

There was the sound of faint footsteps. A door closing harder than it needed to.

Muffled sobs.

He came down later. Much, much later.

Kagami wasn't even pretending to try and sleep anymore. He just lay there, listening as Aomine drew closer. And it was definitely him. He couldn't smell him at all, but he could tell by weight of the footfalls; the confident-bordering-arrogant gait -a man who knew what he wanted and always got his way.

But he could smell something. Something that made his neglected stomach growl ravenously, so much that he curled up into a ball in an attempt to soothe it.

"Food's here." Kagami didn't respond and heard the scrape of the flap he'd noticed at the bottom of the bars and heard the metallic slide of a heavy tray towards him.

The growling turned into an angry, starved roar and he couldn't help himself any longer. He rolled off the bed, making it to the platter in what felt like a single stride. The aroma of the food was mouth-watering. But he couldn't bring himself to eat just yet.

The stare was too heavy.

"Why are you still here?"

"Someone's got to take the tray back after you're done, don't they?"

"Let Marisa-"

"She won't be coming down here." Kagami finally looked up but it was Aomine who had averted his eyes. "Can't handle it." Kagami snorted.

"And so you feel the need to watch me like it's feeding time at the zoo?" Aomine shrugged but Kagami saw the tiny flash of amusement in his eyes.

"Hell, you said it not me."

Kagami decided he didn't really care whether Aomine watched him eat or not. Shame no longer factored; embarrassment was a non-entity at this point. He was hungry. So he would eat.

He sat down with a slight huff, keeping his eyes on the food in front of him. Though he no longer shied from Aomine's gaze, that didn't mean that he would actively seek it out. It still made him feel uncomfortable.

For a while, he could hear nothing but the sounds of him devouring the warm, delicious meal Marisa had painstakingly prepared. It sounded cliché but it was honestly the best thing he remembered eating in a long, long while. And he could taste the love that had gone into it. Whether Aomine had told her about his plan to escape or not, she still cared about him very much. That much was evident.

The thought made him smile a little.

"Is it good?" Kagami jumped, the baritone voice shaking him out of the temporary food-induced coma he'd been settling into. He didn't answer. Didn't make any move to answer.

Aomine made a small noise. Kagami couldn't describe it but it sounded like he'd been expecting the lack of response.

Good.

He was a fool to think that they were on anything like speaking terms. The man had locked him up. Kagami would never be able to understand his thinking behind it. However he looked at it, it seemed unnecessary. Unexplainable. Cruel.

He just wanted to be out. He'd thought that being trapped in the house itself had been torture but now that he was here…he'd give anything to be back in that spacious bedroom. Proximity to Aomine be damned.

"When are you going to let me out?"

It was like the words were a trigger.

The other man left his seat and began to walk away.

"Aomine!" he shouted. And this time it was him left without a response.

Taking the tray back my ass.

* * *

Four weeks later...

The irregular meals and lack of sleep were beginning to have a noticeable effect on Kagami. Though it didn't seem like Aomine was actively trying to starve him, the fact that he often went out to work for the whole day meant that he was lucky if he was getting one meal a day.

And there was the drinking.

He hadn't known that Aomine had a severe problem with alcohol until the first time he'd heard his heavy footsteps echoing towards his cell, rousing him immediately from his sleep. Whilst the steps were still distinctly Aomine, they were a lot more careless than Kagami would ever associate with the bluenette. Less deliberate. They sounded like he was under the influence of something. And sure enough, when he slumped into the chair opposite Kagami's bare cell, it was clear that he had been drinking.

Kagami had no experience with a drunk Aomine, so he tested the waters to see how much he could get away with. His hope was that Aomine would be far less aware of what was going on around him and Kagami fully planned on taking advantage of that.

"Aomine…" he started cautiously, monitoring the alpha carefully for any changes in his behaviour.

"What is it?" Kagami detected a slight slur in his words and took this to mean that him being inebriated had more of an effect on him physically than mentally, as his posture was a lot more sloppy than normal. Usually, he slouched intentionally, as though to mislead those who didn't know him well that he was easier to take advantage of than he was. The reality was vastly different. Everything was calculated. There was no such thing as wasted movement in Aomine's vocabulary.

"Did you ever tell Marisa?"

"Tell her what? Your failed plan to run away?" Kagami gritted his teeth but nodded. Aomine snorted a laugh. "Nope."

Kagami was surprised by this. He was sure that Aomine would have told her, to make his decision to imprison him seem more legitimate.

"Why?"

"Why would I? So she can cry more…?" He averted his eyes slightly and his fingers twitched, as though desperate to grasp the bottle of alcohol that he didn't have. To avoid the question. "I don't need any more shit on my conscience…"

This was yet another unexpected piece of information and it threw Kagami off for more than a minute. Inside, he tried to figure out whether Aomine was giving him these titbits intentionally to confuse him or whether the liquor had genuinely made him careless.

"As if you care-"

"You think so, huh?" He said it like a challenge and for some reason, Kagami felt the heat.

"I do…" he said, tentative before shaking his head and repeating it with renewed confidence. "I do."

Aomine made a sound that Kagami immediately associated with annoyance. But there was more to it. It was less barbed and more…disappointed…

"Whatever…" he sneered eventually, pushing himself out of the chair and sloping back down the corridor. Kagami watched him go in the near non-existent light.

"Try not to break your skull open, asshole."

He got no response but after a while, heard the door open and close with a thud.

It was only in the early hours of the morning that realised he'd forgotten his original plan to get Aomine to set him free.

Drunk Aomine became more of a frequent occurrence in the upcoming weeks. Kagami began to expect it. Not look forward to it, but expect it. To be fair, it wasn't like he had much else going for him by way of entertainment, so messing with drunk Aomine was as good as it got.

But just who was messing with who got more unclear as time passed.

He didn't want to think about things like that now. He could worry about it tomorrow.

I can slot it in between staring at the wall and staring at the ceiling.

Kagami was struggling to come to terms with how he felt right now. One thing he'd learnt pretty soon after his extended stay in Aomine's private prison had begun was that it was really, really hard to stay angry.

And it was tiring.

Eventually, he had yelled himself hoarse and Aomine's resolve hadn't wavered in the slightest. It was draining and he was making no progress, so he gradually quietened down. His insults were still as poisonous but just…not as loud.

To make matters worse, he realised that he was no closer to figuring Aomine out than he had been when he first walked into his accursed house. If anything, he was further than ever. There was a lot to the bluenette. A lot he was hiding.

Though he had no real right to be talking about that…

The footsteps.

"And here I was hoping that you'd finally drunk yourself into an early grave, but here you are."

"If I did, you'd end up starving to death, idiot." He settled into the chair with a grunt, putting a leg onto one of the arm rests, and he rested his elbow on the other, propping his head up and taking a swig of the bottle in his hand.

This time, he had come with alcohol.

"I wouldn't really care, as long as I knew you were gone too." There was a muted pop as Aomine pulled the bottle away from his lips and gave Kagami a crippling glare.

"Don't talk like a jackass."

"Fuck what you think."

"Dumb bitch."

"Fucking psycho." Aomine tutted.

"Honestly, you're rude as fuck." Kagami laughed long and loud. Because nothing about Aomine really made sense anymore. It never had.

"Oh I'm sorry! I forgot to ask! How was your day? Good?" Aomine rolled his eyes and brought the bottle back to his lips. Kagami listened to the sound of him swallowing; the small, repetitive noise further contributing to the feeling of insanity that threatened to swamp him daily.

He sat down at the foot of his bed, putting his knees up and throwing his head back as he started to laugh again.

The sound echoed down the otherwise empty corridor, reverberating off of the concrete walls.

"Why are you doing this, Aomine? Why are you doing this…?" He just didn't get it any more. He just didn't understand.

He couldn't even bring himself to look at the alpha across from him. It was just too much right now. He couldn't deal with it.

The bottle glugged as Aomine drained the last of its contents, tossing it with feeling, somewhere into the darkness, where it shattered into countless pieces.

What feeling…?

"You really are dumb, aren't you?"


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER: 25

Two weeks earlier…

Now that the initial rage at being locked up had somewhat faded, Kagami finally had room to think about something other than ways to kill Aomine. He was still angry, sand rightfully so, but he had stopped expressing it in everything he said and did. And it had nothing to do with the fact that Aomine was remorseful because as far as Kagami could see, the alpha was still confident that what he was doing was right, whatever the reasoning behind it. But it was for himself. To stop him from burning out, with bitterness and hatred the only things making up the empty shell that would be left.

Hatred was something he felt strongly for Aomine. It wasn't aggressive but it was always there. He hated Aomine for locking him up and he hated him for having the power to do so. He hated him for making Marisa cry and making him hate. There was a lot he hated Aomine for but mostly, he hated knowing that there was nothing he could do. He hated knowing that for now, he was under his control.

But there was more than just hatred. The confusion was just as strong, if not stronger. He didn't understand Aomine's logic. He didn't get what could possibly make him think that this is could ever be a good idea. He didn't understand what made him feel so convinced in his beliefs. He didn't get why he felt the need to drag him into his insanity. Because he was insane. Definitely insane. Kagami didn't want to believe that someone with a normal, functioning mind would willingly, knowingly make the choices Aomine was making.

Then again, he probably wasn't alright in the head either, at this point. Knowing that he was trapped in between these four walls for the foreseeable future was slowly driving him mad. He was itching to get out but as far as he could tell, that wasn't an option. But the least Aomine could do was give him something to do.

The cell was large but very sparsely decorated, with a bed, a chest of drawers and a wooden table and chair set. In the chest of drawers he had several changes of clothes and underwear. In the lone drawer underneath the table, there were a few empty notebooks and some pencils. There was also a sectioned off 'bathroom' that consider of a toilet, sink and tiny shower. It had come stocked with the essentials -towels, a toothbrush and toothpaste, toilet paper etc- and there was even a hamper for all the dirty clothes that Aomine had said would be taken out every three weeks.

How thoughtful.

And that was it.

There was nothing else to his new prison.

To say he was frustrated beyond believe would have been the understatement of the century.

…

"Are you really just going to leave me here with nothing?"

A drunken Aomine had found his way to the cell later that night, slumping into the chair opposite Kagami's cell as he always did.

"'S'not nothing…" he snorted, closing his eyes. "You have a bed." Kagami was too tired to be surprised. Aomine could always reach new lows if he put his mind to it.

"You're a fucking idiot."

"Thanks."

Currently, Kagami has been imprisoned for five and a half weeks.

Aomine hadn't come down at all for the past four days. Thankfully, Kagami's body had gotten used to fasting until his next meal and though this was the longest period without food yet, he was still going strong. The best thing to do was to lie down and try to sleep. It was what he did most of the time these days anyway.

Well, that wasn't strictly true. When boredom had driven him up the wall, he'd finally decided to use what he had around him to entertain himself somewhat. He'd begun by trying to look for a way out of the cell but everything had been carefully selected. There was absolutely nothing that would aid his escape if he tried. He could try to sharpen a toothbrush and dig his way out, like they did in the films -Aomine only ever gave him plastic cutlery with his meals or nothing at all- but not only would that probably take the rest of his life to do, he'd be caught within a day or two. Despite the barrage of insults to his intelligence he threw Aomine's way, the reality was the bluenette was far from stupid.

Yet another thing Kagami hated.

The pencils would only snap if he tried using them for anything other than writing and there was nothing on the clothes that could be used as a weapon or a shovel. They were all loose trousers and shirts with elasticated waistbands or drawstrings.

As he saw there was no way out, he then decided to make the most of what he did have in his cell. Namely the notebooks and pencils.

If my teachers could see me now…

He'd been practicing kanji. The characters he could remember were hastily scrawled onto the pristine pages of the notebooks before they entered the foggy wasteland of forgetfulness. The ones he couldn't fully remember were jotted down partially, and he attempted to add to them as the days went by. Sometimes, he'd have flashes of clarity and complete a few but for the most part, they stayed looking forlorn and incomplete.

He practiced his English. He wrote short stories. Most of them centred around Aomine leaving his house on what was seemingly an ordinary day and meeting an untimely yet horrifically gruesome end.

Well, he figured, I have to have some fun.

But when day three rolled around, he focused on conserving his energy as he had no idea when Aomine would come down with something for him to eat.

If he'd come down at all…

He better not have up and killed himself. Who's gonna let me out then?

Hypothetically, if Aomine was dead, Tanaka or Marisa could easily break open the door and find a way to set him free. It was more than possible. The only problem would be if they were all dead, as he highly doubted even any of the Miracles knew he was down there, live alone anyone else living on the premises.

I wonder what lies he fed them?

There was no way at least one of them hadn't enquired about his whereabouts since he'd been locked up. A few months ago, Kuroko would have been guaranteed to have asked but since their parting, Kagami didn't know how things stood between them. He had been so angry at the time, still in denial at what had happened and completely refusing to fully accept that he had been just like any other omega. He'd met the same fate despite trying so hard to lead a life independent of his first-gender's constraints. And Kuroko just hadn't understood. He couldn't. Not when he lived a life completely different to his. There were no parallels. He was always going to be at the top of the hierarchy.

And Kagami could only imagine…

But Momoi definitely had. Kise, too. And probably Akashi.

Scratch that. Definitely Akashi.

There was something about the other wolf that truly unsettled him. It always felt like he knew too much. It was in the way he looked at him, like he could just see through all Kagami's lies, right into the heart of the matter. Kagami knew he knew he was lying. Everything about the other redhead told him he knew nearly everything. What Kagami wanted to know was whatdid he know, and what didn't he?

* * *

"…"

"What is it?"

"Dai-chan…do you...mind if I talk to you?"

…

His mother had insisted he come over for lunch as Momoi was due to fly out to the States at the beginning of the next week, and Seira didn't know the next time they'd all be together. He had finally agreed to come after being subjected to some level of emotional manipulation from both women and things had run as they always did. Seira was as loving and attentive as ever. His father asked about how things were going.

That was the problem.

"DAIKI!" He winced slightly as soon as he heard the shock in her voice but pretended he couldn't' hear it.

"Huh-"

"Don't you dare." Her voice shook slightly and he was hit with a stab of pain at the hurt in her voice. "Look at you…"

"Damn, Mom you're acting like I'm a totally different guy-"

"Aren't you…? Daiki, what's happening to you?" Aomine could feel himself starting could get irritated, as he did frequently these days. It always happened when people started to poke and pry into his business. Namely any business concerning-

"Nothing, alright? I-" He felt slender yet strong arms encircle him and was overwhelmed by the scent that was the closest thing to home.

He pushed her away.

"Mom, stop, okay?" It was gentle but there was no mistaking the message behind it. "I told you, I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me. I knew there was something wrong when you kept avoiding my calls. And when you did pick up you sounded so out of it! Marisa hasn't been picking up either-"

"I said stop." She could see his defences coming up and knew she had pushed too far. Everything from his stance to his aura to his scent told her to keep her distance.

And it killed her.

Knowing that after all these years, he still hadn't let her in. She could be around him, care for him, love him, as long as she didn't impose too much. As soon as she did, she was shut out.

"Daiki-"

"Seira, do not press him. He claimed to be fine, did he not?" She turned to him, almost accusing. Ready to fight back.

"But-"

"Seira." He gave her a look, taking her by the wrist and eventually she calmed enough to nod slightly and leave the room. He didn't say anything to Aomine but walked away. The bluenette instinctively followed him, knowing they were headed to his office.

"I trust that you enough and respect you enough to believe your words." He gestured to the seat opposite him and Aomine knew better than not to take it, but also knew better than to make direct eye contact. The man would be able to read ever last, dirty, little secret. "My concern lies with what I can see. What I have proof of." Aomine's eyes narrows slightly, his posture tense.

"Meaning."

"You have encountered quite a few close calls in recent weeks, have you not?"

"What do you-"

"'He acts like he's not really there…' 'He's not as focused as he used to be.' 'I'm worried he's going to slip up,'. Do you feel as though you are slipping up, Daiki?"

"No," he grunted eventually.

"So why do you think people are coming to these conclusions?" Aomine didn't respond. "Do you feel like you are distracted?"

"No." Being around his father like this was one of his least favourite things about coming home. The man was a total powerhouse, and his aura was no different. His scent meant unshakeable authority, intimidating power, and unchallengeable respect. Aomine had never outright lied to him before. It had been impossible.

He wondered how he was able to do it now.

"I see." So like Akashi. Verbal communication was just a distraction so that he could piece together his own conclusion through analysing people. Taking note of their every move, of the stories behind the words the spoke. Probing deep into their conscience, to get the truth.

So like Akashi.

"Where is your omega?"

But worse.

"What's that have to do with anything?"

"I do not recall saying it did." The gigantic alpha leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers together. Aomine turned to the side, furious with himself for jumping into defence too quickly. He was giving too much away. He needed to relax.

"He's at home."

"Odd. I distinctly remember your mother asking if you could bring him with you."

"Did she now."

"She did." A pause.

"He's sick."

"He suffers from the same illness as Marisa?" Another pause.

"Yeah."

"That sounds worrying. What exactly is wrong with them?"

"Don't know." His father shook his head slowly.

"I have told you countless times, son, to be more aware of the wellbeing of those around you. I shall send two doctors along with you to tend to them."

"No. They're fine."

"I see. Fine enough not to need medical attention despite you having no idea what they suffer from but sick enough not to be able to make the journey. Convenient, would you not agree?" Aomine knew how stupid his story sounded but he was sticking with it.

"Yeah."

"Could it be, that you suffer from the same thing? It would explain your sickly-looking appearance at least." Aomine looked him dead in the eye.

"You probably know the answer to that already."

Those eyes.

They glowed as they stared into Aomine's face, pinning him in place. A look flashed in the amber for a moment. But it was fleeting.

"You may leave." Aomine got up without another word, walking stiffly to the door.

"It is never a good idea to shut your family out. Because that it what we are. Your family."

Aomine closed the door firmly behind him.

…

"What." He stopped at the door, his back still to her. He planned on going home straight away but she had caught him as he was leaving the living room. Knowing her, she had probably been lying in wait outside the study, just waiting for her chance to catch him alone.

"I just wanted to talk to you before I left…" She hesitated. "I wanted…to check everything was okay."

"Why does everyone keep asking that?"

He finally turned around, rounding on her immediately and she instinctively bowed her head slightly, baring her neck to prove she meant no harm.

"Because…you look…"

"Sick? I've lost a little weight. Working as hard as I do will do that to you. Not everyone can fly overseas whenever they want to. Some of us have actual shit to do. " His comments were unjustifiable. Unfair. Unwarranted. Momoi knew what he was doing. She was wise to it.

"It's more than just a little weight, Dai-chan, you look like you're wasting away!" She stopped, inhaling harshly and fought to keep her voice level. "Everyone is so worried about you-"

"What I do with myself is none of your business-"

"STOP IT." Her eyes flared, timid stance gone, and Aomine took a warning step closer. She didn't back away. "It is my business. We're a pack and I'm your blood family! Of COURSE it's my business-"

"No it isn't. Quit meddling in my life just because yours sucks-"

"AOMINE DAIKI STOP BEING AN IDIOT!" Keeping quiet was out of the window. This was turning into a shouting match and if they weren't careful, it would turn physical. "WHY CAN'T YOU-"

"Why can't YOU butt the fuck OUT?-"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE FALLING APART-"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY-"

"Now children." They both found themselves frozen in place as the familiar, crippling aura overcame them and they could no longer move. "You both know better than to fight like common animals. If you need a mediator, I would be more than willing to play that role but I ask that you conduct yourselves correctly." Momoi bowed her head meekly.

"Sorry Papa." He nodded and turned to Aomine. He could see the bitterness in his eyes and knew he wouldn't be getting anything like an apology.

"People need to stay out of my damn business." He turned around and strode out of the room, not looking back. Momoi started to go after him before her steps faltered and her face crumpled.

She didn't hear him move but felt his large hand on her head, guiding her to him. She clung to the front of his shirt as she cried like the few times she had in the presence of her father as a child. Though he completely lacked the nurturing grace of her mother, there was something inexplicably comforting about his presence and above all he felt safe. Sturdy. He could bear her burdens and keep going for the both of them.

* * *

That night…

Kagami had been drifting in and out of sleep when he heard it.

The sound of footsteps along the corridor.

Aomine's footsteps.

His eyes opened immediately and he stared up at the ceiling, his heart rate picking up ever so slightly. Sure enough, the steps were drawing closer and closer to the cell.

He was drunk.

Kagami heard the sound of metal almost dropping to the floor before the chair wheezed, welcoming his familiar weight. Kagami silently sniffed the air. The food wasn't hot, nor did it smell like Marisa's. But it smelled edible.

His stomach growled.

It would have to do.

He looked up and saw Aomine passed out in the chair. Creeping out of bed, he approached the bars and as he did so, he could see more clearly that Aomine looked like a wreck.

He was almost startled by the seemingly sudden change. He had looked fine before…or had he? Maybe he just hadn't been paying attention before, too blinded by anger to care. But now that the alpha had been away for a considerable length of time, he could finally see the sharp contrast between what he used to look like and what he looked like now.

His cheeks were sunken, making his face look slightly gaunt, and the bones in his face looked sharper than usual. Not enough that they were jutting out of his skin but more like they could actually cut if they got too close. He hadn't shaved in a while, the shadow on his jaw more pronounced than he had ever seen it. There were deep, heavy bags under his eyes, indicating a copious lack of sleep.

"What you looking at?"

Kagami stumbled back as eyes that had recently been hidden by eyelids now watched him lazily.

"Don't do that!" Kagami snapped, heart still pounding.

"What. Talk?"

"That too!" Aomine snorted, closing his eyes again. Kagami watched him closely, not sure whether to expect another surprise.

"You can take the food. I don't bite." This time, he didn't open his eyes.

"I beg to differ." Kagami responded drily, but approached anyway. He paused. "I thought you were sleeping…"

Aomine laughed. Kagami had never heard such a hollow sound.

"What's that?"

The question irked him. The fact that it irked him irked him. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

On the platter was a crudely made sandwich. Though unrefined and a bit slapdash, Kagami peeled back the bread to find that it was packed with absolutely everything. There were meats, cheeses, poorly-cut vegetables. It was a mess but…

It smells…okay…

His stomach concurred and before he knew it, he was tearing into it like a man possessed. His primary focus -his sole focus- was the food in front of him. If someone had wanted to attack him now, he would've been an easy target. It wasn't long before his stomach groaned again, this time in protest. He'd eaten too much, too soon. He needed to take it easy.

He sat back on his haunches, licking a stray smear of mayonnaise of the corner of his mouth as he watched the bluenette. The alpha didn't appear to have moved since they last spoke, his body almost limp, breathing hardly noticeable.

"Where's Marisa?"

There was no change to his posture. His movement. His sc-

Wait…I can't smell him…

This took Kagami by surprise. But the more he thought about it, the more he realised he hadn't smelt the alpha once since he'd been locked up. His hand came to wrap around one of the bars, almost stroking it.

Is it something to do with these?-

Aomine sighed. It sounded heavy. Exhausted.

Kagami's brow furrowed and he waited.

"Do you want the lie I've been telling everyone else? Or the truth?"

"Whatever you're willing to tell me." His answer confused him. That hadn't been what he'd been planning on saying. Aomine 'laughed' again.

"She left."

"SHE WHAT?" The sudden noise made Aomine wince and Kagami automatically lowered his voice. "Why?"

"Does it matter?"

"Would I be asking if it didn't?"

Aomine cracked open an eye, rolling it to look at Kagami. Now that he looked, he could see that they were really bloodshot and almost yellow.

How much has he been drinking?

"She couldn't handle it anymore." Kagami mulled this over.

"It being…?"

"You." His words were blunt and they hit Kagami hard. He toppled back a bit, landing pretty hard on his behind.

"Me?"

"This." He gestured loosely at the cage and himself. "Said she didn't want any part of it…"

A few days earlier…

"Aomine-sama."

"What is it?" The tone in Marisa's voice was unfamiliar to him. Not the tone itself, that he had heard plenty of times. But never once attached to Marisa's voice.

"I'm leaving." Aomine really looked at her then.

"The fuck's that supposed to mean?" She flinched at the language but from her aura, Aomine could see her resolve hadn't wavered in the slightest.

"I can't be a part of what you're doing to Kagami anymore. You're killing him and you're killing yourself. And if there's nothing I can do to help here, then it's better I go-"

"I told you," he growled in frustration, "just c-"

"I can't watch you do this to yourself!" Her eyes filled with tears and she cursed herself for letting her emotions run wild so soon. "Aomine-sama, I can't stand here and watch you harm yourself like this…harm him…it's too much!"

"So. Where are you going." His voice was flat and his eyes dead. She wanted to shake him. To scream some sense into him.

To hug him like she'd wanted to for years.

"To the vegetable farm. It will be harvest time soon, and they could always do with an extra pair of hands." Aomine raised an eyebrow.

"Tanaka isn't going with you, then." She shook her head.

"He promised to keep an eye on you all."

"Fine." He turned on his heel and started walking away.

The floodgates opened.

"Aomine-sama!" she pleaded. "Please, think about what you're doing!"

He didn't stop.

Present…

"Why are you doing this, Aomine? Don't you care-"

"I'm doing this because you won't stay put, idiot." Even his voice lacked the typical bite.

"I don't believe you." Kagami assumed the movement that followed was supposed to be a shrug.

"Look at how many fucks I give." Kagami wanted to hit his head on the bars. Aomine was impossible.

"Fine. Be that way, bastard."

"Sure." There was silence. Aomine shifted, putting his legs over the arm of the chair so that his back was supported by the other arm. He looked ready to fall asleep.

"What's tha-"

"Go sleep in your room, you fool." Kagami didn't want him here. His presence would be too unsettling and he wouldn't get a wink of sleep. He saw no reason to suffer just because Aomine was too lazy to move. He had the luxury of a cosy bed in a huge mansion and yet here he was, muscling in on the only space Kagami had.

Selfish didn't quite cover it.

Aomine didn't budge, making it clear that the conversation was over. Kagami tutted.

"God, you're stubborn." He looked down as his stomach growled, indicating that it was ready for another stab at what remained of the sandwich.

The surprisingly-good sandwich.

He picked it up and chewed in silence, mulling over what he'd heard tonight.

Over everything but the one part he was actively avoiding.

It didn't take him long to finish he pushed the plate away once he was done, patting his sated belly after a burp of satisfaction. Maybe it was starvation talking, but it had been pretty decent.

So…not completely useless then.

He suddenly felt tired, most likely because he'd finally eaten, and he practically crawled back to his bed, climbing in and burrowing under the duvet. He was too tired to make the short journey to the bathroom to brush his teeth. To tired to do anything but…

The next day…

Kagami's first thought when he woke up was that that had been one of the best night's sleep he'd gotten since this whole debacle had begun.

The second was that he wasn't alone.

Sure enough, when he sat up, he saw that the bluenette was in the exact same position as he had been before. Long, muscular legs hanging over one side of the chair, upper body over the other. Right hand resting on his chest, the left one trailing to the floor.

"For someone who doesn't know what sleep is, you're doing a pretty good job of it," he snorted. The alpha didn't move. "I'll change that…" he muttered, rolling out of bed and going to the drawer. He picked out one of the many pencils and extended his claws, working at the opposite end to break off splinters of wood. Approaching the bars stealthily, he threw one at Aomine, watching it hit his hanging arm and bounce off onto the stone floor. He continued throwing tiny bits of wood, nothing causing the bluenette to stir.

"Not only is he a sleeper, but he's a heavy one." So Aomine had lied. Figured.

But he didn't sound-

He kept pelting him, trying to get some kind of response. One of the hand-made wooden pellets landed on his broad chest. Another grazed his arm and fell to the floor, near his hand. Kagami followed it with his eyes and noticed something. In the slightly better light, he could see marks on Aomine's fingers.

Small cuts.

They almost looked self-inflicted as they were in such strange places. The sides and tips of his fingers. Tiny nicks. They almost looked like…

Fuck this.

Kagami abandoned his mission, now keen on distracting himself from all things Aomine. That wolf was a whole bundle of problems. And none of them were his.

His eyes strayed to the open drawer and he took out a pencil and the most recent notebook he had been using. Flipping to his last few scribbles, a few days before, he skimmed through them to pick up where he left off.

"What's that?"-

"God!" He set the book down, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. He wished he could go back to sleep-

"What's th-"

"You live to piss people off, don't you?" Kagami nearly fell back completely, his hand shooting out to stop him before he hit the floor.

"Stop DOING that! And look who's talking!" He turned accusingly to Aomine who still hadn't moved. But he was awake.

Has he been…?

"Aomine Daiki, far as I know." He laughed drily but…it sounded slightly more alive than it had yesterday. "You know, you never told me your name."

"And I don't plan on it." There was silence as Kagami went back to his notebook, tapping at one of the pages with the tip of his pencil. He didn't know why he was trying so hard to distract himself.

Well, that wasn't true.

"What's that?"

The look Kagami gave him was almost haunted. Of course, Aomine didn't see it. His eyes were still closed.

"It's a book."

"Damn, we have a genius on our hands." Kagami snorted.

"And a comic." The corner of Aomine's lips curved upwards slightly and huffed out his new-and-improved laugh.

"Your mouth doesn't get any less smart, does it?"

"Come back tonight and find out-"

Wait, what?

Aomine's eyes opened then, but instead of responding, he heaved himself up.

"No. Because unlike you, I have a life. Well, one that isn't behind bars." The look he gave Kagami…it…

It didn't match his words.

"Be good."

Aomine didn't come that night.

Kagami wouldn't admit he had waited. At least a little bit.

The next morning…

Kagami's first thought was that this night of sleep hadn't been as good as the previous one.

Probably because that prick forgot to feed me again.

His stomach growled indignantly, more furious than its owner at the poor treatment.

"I know right? What does a guy have to do to get a meal around he-"

He stopped, catching sight of something propped against the bars.

Advancing swiftly, he picked it up.

A book on kanji.


End file.
